Pancake Day 2024: Essential Shopping List and Recipes

The end of January is a milestone, and every year we love turning the calendar over to February – there’s so much to look forward to! Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is high on our list next to Valentine’s Day and Random Acts of Kindness Day. All of these events come with plenty of excuses to enjoy sweet treats, and we’re already flippin’ excited for our pancakes.

We’ve got loads of ideas to get you thinking about toppings, flavours and new cooking techniques to try out. Load up on inspiration now and maybe you’ll have time to enjoy a few sample batches before the big day!

When is Pancake Day 2024?

This year, Pancake Day falls on 13th February. This is known as Shrove Tuesday and it always falls just before Ash Wednesday, the day that marks the start of Lent. At Lakeland, we’re all about making Pancake Day enjoyable and memorable. Rustling up a feast of delicious crêpes and fluffy American pancakes is a wonderful way to celebrate.

The Basics: How to Make Pancakes and Crêpes

In the UK, we tend to make pancakes that resemble a French crêpe. Our pancake mixture isn’t spread out quite so thinly, so our pancakes are a bit thicker and smaller than crêpes. The ingredients, however, are the same.

You’re going to need eggs, flour, milk and butter to make your basic pancake mixture. What you add from there – sugar, lemon, chocolate chips – is up to you. Of course, there’s also the option to buy a readymade mixture for your pancake creations. We’ll explore each of these in a bit more detail later on, but we can tell you that our extensive taste testing has confirmed that both are delicious.

Once you’ve got your pancake mixture sorted, you’ll need to decide what you’re cooking in. Pancake makers come in a range of shapes and sizes. Many of us still look forward to testing our hand-eye coordination (and our family’s patience) by cooking and tossing our pancakes in a pan. If this is you then good news, we’ve got just the thing.

Our Forged Aluminium Crêpe Pan has a specially designed low rim and double-layer non-stick surface. Your pancakes will fill the base of the pan perfectly and slide right off in your moment of flipping glory! As long as you catch it, you’ll have a beautiful pancake stack in no time.

Of course, there are other implements and cooking options available. Keep reading to find our recommendations and to discover the new kid on the block – pancakes in the air fryer!

Homemade vs Readymade Pancake Mixes

One of the best things about pancakes is that they’re hard to do wrong. The batter recipe for British pancakes is pretty fool proof, it’s easy to adjust if it starts to look a little thin or gloopy. Chances are, you’ll still end up with something delicious.

And the same is true of crêpes and pancakes cooked from readymade mixture. With these premixed pouches of dried ingredients, like JM Posner French Style Pancake Mix, all you need to do is add water.

Deciding which you’ll go for on your Pancake Tuesday will probably come down to one factor – time. If you’re looking forward to spending time cooking with friends and family, then you might want to make your own mixture from scratch. We recommend preparing something extravagant like Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Caramelised Banana to make the most of your time in the kitchen.

If, on the other hand, you’re making pancakes for a big group or preparing them as part of the pre-school rush then you might find it easier to grab a bag of the premade mix.

You can still enjoy the process of preparing other fresh ingredients. Get creative with the Lakeland Electric Citrus Juicer, try lime instead of lemon or even blood orange! Arrange Edible Flowers to give your pancakes a magical floral finish, or start melting down your favourite chocolate with our Silicon Chocolate Melting Pot, perfect for pouring.

Pancake Recipes: Sweet, Savoury, Fluffy & American

There’s a world of pancake possibilities to be explored. With our range of pancake accessories, you can go well beyond the classics and reach new pancake stack heights.

Want American style pancakes that practically float off the plate? We know just the recipe to guarantee brunch satisfaction. And Lakeland’s recipe for Fluffy Kefir Pancakes can deliver too. These are light and packed with probiotic goodness, giving you a guilt free way to start the day. Of course, you can still make them deliciously indulgent with honey and fresh raspberries – there are so many ways to enjoy their tasty goodness.

We also stock Freeze-Dried Raspberry Pieces for just such occasions. Mixing these into your batter will result in a pretty in pink plate of heavenly frosted raspberry pancakes.

Lakeland have a whole host of dessert makers for you to explore too. Once you’ve had your pancake fill, move on to waffles or make fresh churros! And with our kitchen essentials, like measuring cups and spoons, experimenting with exciting toppings and new recipes a breeze. Homemade ice cream, chocolate chips or a drizzle of Sticky Toffee Sauce – the choice is yours.

Pancake Day Shopping List

Pans & Alternatives:

While our Forged Aluminium Crêpe Pan can deliver the classic cooking experience, there are other routes to be explored. Why not try out a Mini Electric Pancake Maker? It heats up rapidly and can be used for delicate crêpes or thick ‘nd fluffy pancakes.  

And did you know you can cook pancakes in the air fryer? Make sure you line your air fry drawer and then carefully pour in a spoonful of batter. These little dollops of mixture will emerge as gold and fluffy in less than five minutes! Cooking this way means you’ll avoid the danger of overly greasy pancakes, as air fryers don’t need as much fat to cook with.

Lakeland Measuring Cups & Spoons:

Experiment with different pancake recipes using precise measurements with Lakeland measuring cups and accessories. Perfect for ensuring your pancakes turn out just the way you like them.

Mixing Stands & Bowls:

For a smooth batter, you need a reliable mixing bowl. If you’re not mixing your batter by hand, then making your pancakes will be a doddle in one our high-quality food mixers, like the 2-in-1 Hand and Stand Mixer.

Whisks:

If you’re whisking your batter by hand, you have two options. Either get yourself a well-designed utensil – like the OXO Good Grips Balloon Whisk or My Kitchen Silicone-Coated Mini Whisk – or grab yourself a super handy handheld mixer.

Spoons & Spatulas:

Achieve flawless flips and zero drips with our range of pancake-perfect utensils. We’ve assembled all your key pieces on our Pancake Day page.

There you have it, everything you need to step into the sweetness of Pancake Tuesday this February! From classic stove tops crêpes to air fryer pancakes marvels, we’ve got you covered.