Mothers Day Brunch Pancakes (Printable Version)

A comforting layered casserole featuring fluffy pancakes, fresh berries, and creamy custard for a delightful brunch.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Pancakes

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Custard

10 - 4 large eggs
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - ½ cup heavy cream
13 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - Zest of 1 lemon, optional

→ Berries

16 - 2 cups mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
17 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Topping

19 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
20 - Maple syrup, for serving

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, gently toss berries with 2 tablespoons sugar and lemon juice. Allow to sit for flavor development.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Combine wet and dry ingredients, stirring until just combined without overmixing.
04 - Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease. Pour batter to form approximately 4-inch pancakes. Cook until bubbles form on surface, flip, and cook until golden. Repeat until batter is used, yielding approximately 12 pancakes. Cool slightly.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest if using until smooth and homogeneous.
06 - Cut cooled pancakes in half and arrange slightly overlapping in prepared baking dish. Scatter half of macerated berries over pancakes. Pour custard mixture evenly over top, gently pressing pancakes to ensure submersion.
07 - Top with remaining berries. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes until custard is set and top is lightly browned.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can prep it entirely the night before, which means you actually get to sit down and enjoy brunch instead of cooking through it.
  • The layers soak into something impossibly creamy while staying fluffy, like someone figured out the exact texture pancakes were always meant to be.
  • Fresh berries add brightness and color without requiring any special skill—they just make it look like you spent hours on this.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting time after baking; the casserole needs those 10 minutes to firm up, otherwise you'll get a beautiful but slumpy mess when you cut into it.
  • Your berries should be tossed with sugar and lemon juice at least 15 minutes before assembly so they macerate and release their juices, which adds flavor throughout.
03 -
  • If you don't have a non-stick skillet, use a regular one with a little extra butter and you'll get even more golden, crisped edges on your pancakes.
  • The custard should look slightly underset when you pull it from the oven; it continues firming as it cools, and this is what keeps it creamy rather than rubbery.
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