Whole Wheat Orange Pancakes with Chocolate Sauce

Light ~ Fluffy ~ Spongy ~ Flavourful ~ Indulgent

Whole wheat orange pancakes, or how to make perfect vegan pancakes the easy way. They could well be the simplified version of my Orange Cake with Chocolate Cream.

Drenched in chocolate sauce, these pancakes are absolutely delicious...and addictive. It's up to you whether this recipe serves four...or just one;)

Whole Wheat Orange Pancakes
Makes 10-13
Print Recipe

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 2 tsp demerara sugar
• grated zest of one medium orange

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from one medium orange)
• 1/2 cup almond or soy milk (you can use Homemade Almond Milk or Hazelnut)
• 2 tsp sunflower oil

• a little oil for cooking the pancakes

Notes: 1 cup = 250 ml, 1/2 cup = 125 ml, 1/3 cup = 80 ml, 1/4 cup = 60 ml; I used a regular teaspoon, not the measuring one. If using a manual juicer like I did, don't strain out the orange pulp, it adds more flavour. I used a type of whole wheat flour that's not very finely milled and has bits of bran in it (picture in the Orange Cake post, link above). I love the texture it creates.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the orange zest and the wet ingredients and mix until combined. The batter shouldn't be runny, nor too thick.

Baking soda will react straight away with the orange juice, creating bubbles, so don't overmix the batter.

Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat over a medium-sized burner. Add a couple of drops of oil and tilt and rotate the pan to spread it all around. Using a tablespoon or a 1/4 cup pour the batter to make pancakes, leaving some space between them, as they will spread. The first thing you notice is the many air bubbles the baking soda creates, giving the batter a quick rise. When they stop popping the top is whole again and the baking powder starts working, puffing up the pancakes. The air bubbles underneath the surface will start to burst. When the sides of the pancakes look dry and the top is bubbly, carefully flip the pancakes with a spatula and let them cook for 30 seconds or so. In the picture above, the top and right pancakes were just ready to be flipped.

It is important that the pancakes remain golden, not brown. For that you may need to reduce the heat to medium-low. Slightly lift the edge of the first pancake to check whether it's changing colour too fast and adjust the heat if that happens.

When done, remove the pancakes from the pan and place them on a clean, dry kitchen towel (cloth, not paper). When just a little warm, place them on a serving plate and pour chocolate sauce over them. Be generous!:)

Easy Chocolate Sauce

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/3 cup + 2 Tb almond milk
• 1/2 cup demerara sugar

In a small pan mix the cocoa powder with a little bit of milk until it forms a paste, using a whisk. Keep adding milk until you use all the amount. This prevents the formation of lumps. Add the sugar and mix.

Put the pan over the smallest burner turned to medium and stir now and then until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce is hot. Do not let it come to a simmer or boil, or else the taste will change.

The best time to make the sauce is just before the pancakes, after mixing the dry ingredients. Keep them aside, make the sauce, then continue with making the batter.

When serving, the sauce will be warm and the pancakes almost at room temperature, so they will absorb it immediately. Before adding another layer of pancakes on top of the first one, let them absorb the sauce, then add a little more and only then put more pancakes over them. Get messy!:)

Enjoy and spread the magic!:)

If you've tried these pancakes I would greatly appreciate your feedback. Thank you!