Sourdough Carrot Cake Pancakes (Cream Cheese Frosting)

Ever want dessert for breakfast? These sourdough carrot cake pancakes are like having your cake and eating it too!

Filled with sweet carrots, warm cinnamon and nutmeg, and topped with a silky cream cheese icing, you are going to love these decadent pancakes!

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Why you’ll love this recipe

• Just like carrot cake! These pancakes taste just like dessert with the sweetness of the carrots and the decadence of the icing. These would be perfect for a holiday morning!
• Made with active sourdough starter or sourdough discard. Since these pancakes don’t need a long rise, you can use active starter or discard making them a very convenient recipe to make quickly.
• Amps up weekend breakfasts! How much fun is it to serve a decadent, yet quick breakfast that will everyone begging for seconds.

Want a gluten free pancake recipe? CLICK HERE!

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To cook my pancakes, I use a CAST IRON PAN

To feed my sourdough starter, I use fresh milled flour that I mill in my NUTRIMILL GRAIN MILL

One of my favorite tools in the kitchen is this OLIVE OIL SPRAY BOTTLE

Try my recipe for FRESH MILLED LONG FERMENTED PANCAKES

Ingredients needed to make sourdough carrot cake pancakes

• Sourdough Starter – You can use either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard for this recipe.
• Shredded Carrots – I prefer to shred whole carrots; however, you can definitely use pre-shredded carrots if you prefer.
• Egg – You will need 1 large egg. If you prefer an egg free version, make a flax egg by adding 1 tbsp ground flax to a bowl and mix in 3 tbsp water. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes until it thickens before using.
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Olive Oil – You may substitute with melted coconut oil, avocado oil, or melted butter.
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Cream Cheese
• Maple Syrup

Full ingredient amounts can be found in recipe card below

Looking for more sourdough recipes? CLICK HERE!

Step by Step Instructions for making this recipe

Make the Carrot Cake Sourdough Pancakes

Shred 1/2 cup of carrots on the fine side of a box grater or measure out 1 cup from a bag of pre-shredded carrots.

Preheat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over low-medium heat.

In a large bowl, add 1 cup of sourdough starter or discard.

To the starter, add 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Stir the mixture to combine all the ingredients.

Fold in the carrots and add 1 teaspoon baking soda. Stir well.

Spray the pan with a bit of oil and add 1/4 cup of the pancake batter.

Cook for 3-4 minutes or until bubbles form on top of the cake.

Turn the pancake and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

While the cakes are cooking, add a block of softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup of maple syrup to a medium sized bowl.

Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and creamy.

Spread the frosting over the cooked pancakes. (Use as much as you want:)

Tips

Grate the carrots as finely as possible for the best texture.

Make the cream cheese frosting the day before and refrigerate for quicker assembly on busy mornings.

Make a double or triple batch and freeze for a great make ahead breakfast.

Storage

Store leftover pancakes and frosting in the fridge for 3-4 days.

These pancakes freeze so well! Freeze the leftover pancakes in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.

Variations

Add 1/2 cup of chopped pineapple and reduce the carrots to 1/2 cup for a seriously delicious variation!

Make these pancakes gluten free by using Buckwheat flour or Chickpea flour.