The Unexpected Ingredient That Will Take Your Pancakes To The Next Level

Originally known in colonial America as "hoe cakes, johnnycakes, or flapjacks," pancakes were enjoyed long before the U.S. was founded, by the people of ancient Greece and Rome — and even possibly by those in the Stone Age (per National Geographic). However, the sweet, filling breakfast earned its place in "American Cookery" – a cookbook from 1796 that is credited as the first-ever published volume of exclusively American recipes — and in the nation's hearts. To wit: a book published in 1845 called "The Housekeeper's Assistant" mentions maple-flavored "pancakes, or fritters," according to MarthaStewart.com.

The classic homemade pancake recipe generally includes flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and milk in its ingredient list. Given that the most difficult part of preparing this sweet way to start your day is flipping them to make sure both sides are cooked to a perfect brown, it's no wonder pancakes are such a historically adored breakfast.

And if you're looking to add a bit of flair to this old-fashioned favorite, the extra ingredient you need is extremely simple and widely available. You only have to look towards the baking aisle for a way to bring a new flavorful take to this beloved breakfast dish.

In the early aughts, the public's easy access to convenience foods seemed to inspire a new style of cooking. Referred to by WebMD as "Halfway Homemade," this method of food preparation involves using pre-made ingredients as a base for a recipe before adding in your own personal touches, and was popularized by the Food Network show "Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee."

Boxed cake mix is a particularly versatile convenience food that can be customized with fillings and used to make cookies and other amazing things. Cake box mixes are also key to an upgraded pancake breakfast.

If you're hoping to accentuate your pancakes' sweetness with cake mix, MyRecipes notes there are two things you need to consider. The first is that you can use whatever flavor suits your taste, whether that be rich red velvet or classic vanilla boxed cake mix, so long as the cake mix you choose is ​​15.25 ounces. If your cake mix box is larger than that, you won't need to use flour. The second is that you only have to stir in your chosen cake mix with your other recipe ingredients and prepare the breakfast as you normally would.

According to Taste of Lizzy, you can adjust your pancake output by controlling how much milk you add and how large you make each one. Once finished cooking, Betty Crocker suggests topping your pancakes with colorful sprinkles and a cake-icing glaze before partaking in this delicious and fun morning meal.