Red Velvet Pancakes

Aaron and I have been together for almost 14 years, and for the 13 Valentine’s Days we have spent together, we have never gone all out. We buy each other small gifts for some years, other years we just go out to dinner. It’s never anything big, and we both like it that way.

My main love language is Acts of Service, and I love to show my love through food. I like to cook and bake to celebrate any and all occasions and Valentine’s Day was no exception this year.

I knew we had no plans, and I was ok with that. We ordered take out our first year in the city, and I assumed we would do the same this year. I did want to make treats for the weekend though, so I did what anyone would do and scoured Pinterest. I found recipes for steak and asparagus, a pasta dish and red velvet pancakes. Of the three things I made that weekend the red velvet pancakes were the clear winner.

I started with this Pinterest recipe and made some revisions.

I started with a boxed red velvet cake mix, frankly because it was easier. I didn’t need 16 servings though, so I measured the cake mix and cut it in half. I put the other half in a ziplock bag to be stored for later.

I cut the rest of the ingredients in half and added them to the mix.

While I was making the pancake mix I set out half a block of cream cheese to warm to room temperature. This will come in handy when you make the glaze. I should have also set the butter out, but forgot, so I put it in the microwave for 10 seconds to warm it up a little.

Pancake Recipe:

• 1/2 box of red velvet cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups milk (I used 1%)
• 1 egg
• 1 TBSP oil (I used vegetable oil)

While the pancakes were cooking on my stovetop griddle I made the glaze. I did not cut this recipe in half because I knew I would love it and had intentions of making cupcakes with the remaining cake mix. It was so good I ended up eating it with a spoon out of the bowl for the next few days.

Glaze Recipe:

• 1/2 package (4oz) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup butter – softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2-3 TBSP milk or cream (I used 3 TBSP of 1% milk)

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth. If the mixture is too thick add more milk. If it is too runny, add more powdered sugar.

These we so good! I can’t even explain to you how good they were. While we were eating them Aaron looked at me and said: “These are for special occasions only, right? I could eat them every weekend, but we shouldn’t.”

I never made the half batch of cupcakes, but I did eat the rest of the glaze on graham crackers and with a spoon, and it was delicious.

Let me know if you try them! I bet you could do this with any cake mix. Carrot cake would be amazing, I bet.