Grab For Eats The first ingredient that comes to mind whenever you crave cookies, cakes, brownies, pancakes, etc. is the Flour. Another additive that may be used to enhance the flavor of these dishes is pancake mix. But whenever you run out of flour can you use either one? Is flour the same as pancake mix?
Yes, you can use pancake mix or flour as a substitute for one. This is because both the ingredients are almost the same and serve the same purpose while preparing your favorite dish. Though pancake mix has some additional fragrance and comes in a package, it is almost similar to flour.
But some tricks are needed to be followed before using pancake mix instead of flour. Otherwise, one wrong move can spoil your whole dish and taste.
Cake Flour Vs Pancake Mix
Both the cake flour and pancake mix are categorized under Flour. Whether it comes to baking a fluffy cake or yummy cookies, both of the ingredients play the main role in the recipe. But there are some basic differences between cake flour and pancake mix which must be known to level up the taste of your dish.
Cake Flour
When you are planning to make a cake at home, cake flour is a must-go ingredient. It can strengthen the cake flavor and fragrance greatly making your cake more delicious. Cake flour is mainly a flour-like textured element made with a combination of flour, leavening, cornstarch, and sugar taste.
Besides, added protein and fragrance make it more likable and easier to use. But cake flour is not ideal to use for cookies and dishes that require a salty flavor. Because it doesn’t have salt and cake flour is mainly used for the sweetness factor.
Pancake Mix
Pancake mix is always a taste booster for your homemade cookies, pudding, desserts, etc. It is mainly made with a combination of all-purpose flour, salt, and leavening. But you can also use pancake mix as a cake flour if you add sugar to it while making cakes.
The main difference between cake flour and pancake mix is the sweetness level. Though both of the ingredients are used for different purposes, you can substitute cake flour with pancake mix if you add sugar to it.
How to Make Pancake Mix With Flour?
You can easily make pancake mix with flour using the Zip Bag Method. To be the best cook, you always have to know about the substitute for all cooking ingredients. If you run out of any element while cooking, an instant substitute can save you from spoiling your food. Likewise, if you run out of pancake mix, flour can be the best solution to your problem.
If you want to make yummy pancakes for your family and suddenly realize that there’s no pancake mix left in the jar, what will you do? You can simply use flour as a substitute for pancake mix. A summed-up guideline to help you is given below:
Required Ingredients:
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp of baking powder
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- ½ – 1 tsp of salt
- 1 ½ cup of milk
- 1 egg
- 2-3 tbsp of melted unsalted butter
Methods of preparing step by step:
Step 1:
The first job is to make the gluey texture which will make a powder texture for the pancake mix. Start making it by mixing baking powder and flour in a bowl.
Step 2:
This will add fluffiness to the usual flour texture. After that, mix sugar and salt to add a sweetness yet flavorful touch to the pancake mixture. Stir and mix the ingredients thoroughly for a few seconds.
Step 3:
Then, place the mixed flour in a zipper bag or sealed container. Now it’s time to add some protein and fragrance to the flour mixture. In a bowl, take the egg and add melted butter to it.
Step 4:
Pour in milk which will smoothen the whole mixture and give a sweet aroma to the pancake mix. Apply heat to the prepared mixture and stir to eliminate burning chances.
Step 5:
Mix the prepared flour in the milk and egg solution. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients with a spoon or hand blender for a couple of minutes.
In this way, you can prepare homemade pancake mix anytime. Besides, you can also store it for further use in an airtight jar and use it whenever you want to make pancakes, cookies, and other dishes for your friends and family.
Can I Make Pancakes With Bread Flour?
You can prepare pancakes at home with bread flour perfectly if you know the perfect ratio of it. Although it is not recommended to use bread flour in the case of making pancakes, it can be a good shot if you are out of flour suddenly.
Pancakes are usually made with the available package mix or plain flour since they contain a moderate amount of protein or gluten. But when it comes to bread flour, the level of gluten is higher which creates some difficulties in preparing pancakes. If too much mixing or excessive bread flour is used, there is a huge chance of making the pancake too chewy.
Besides, too much moisture in the bread flour dough can make your fluffy pancakes very hard. So, you have to immediately serve the cakes without storing them. With an easy mixing and little use of bread flour, you can follow the bread flour substitute pancake mix idea.
Summary
Pancake mix is a special form of flour with added sugar and salt. It enhances the flavor and aroma of the cookies, pancakes, cakes, etc. So, using plain flour instead of pancake mix will be a thumbs up for all the chefs out there.
With a little added sweetness and protein to plain flour, you can prepare all the delicious desserts and snacks which require pancake mix without even buying it from the store. Because pancake mix and flour both can make your cakes fluffier and yummier for sure.
