When is Pancake Day and Why Do We Celebrate It?
Pancake Day 2023 falls on Tuesday, February 21st. We're certain you've enjoyed the traditions of Pancake Day in years gone by, but do you know why you did? Also called Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day began as the final feast day before Lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter when people traditionally fasted). To use up the leftover ingredients such as eggs, milk and fat prior to fasting, the Anglo-Saxons would cook pancakes and, thus, Pancake Day began.
Easy to make and even easier to eat, pancakes are a firm favourite with Brits up and down the country. Pancake Day has become widely celebrated in the UK often dividing opinions on savoury or sweet favourite toppings.
Here's How The Pancake Toppings Stack Up
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Banana Pancakes and Blueberry Pancakes
Banana Pancakes
Taking the top spot by a long way, banana pancakes have proven to be the UK's favourite topping. Adding a fruity twist to this classic dish, bananas are perfect for a soft topping or even to add into the batter, made popular by social media for those wanting to really switch things up.
Blueberry Pancakes
Continuing with some fruity favourites, blueberry pancakes were shown to be the UK's second favourite topping. Perfect for an Instagrammable stack, blueberries add a tart taste to this popular food whilst making sure you get one of your five a day!
Chocolate Pancakes and Bacon Pancakes
Chocolate Pancakes
Perhaps a bit more of a conventional pairing, chocolate made the top five favourite pancake toppings in the UK. You can top pancakes with chocolate chunks, lather them in chocolate sauce or even add some chocolate chips to the batter for those with an extra-sweet tooth. This is the perfect dessert-style pancake for this Pancake Day.
Bacon Pancakes
Crispy bacon is another UK favourite to transform the pancake into the ultimate brunch. Find the perfect balance of breakfast, lunch, sweet and savoury to suit the whole family with our easy pancake recipe, Buttery Honeyed Cinnamon Pears and Crisp Bacon with Pancakes.
Spinach Pancakes, Apple Pancakes and Strawberry Pancakes
Spinach pancakes are also another savoury-favourite, incorporating a splash of colour and a healthy twist, spinach adds some green goodness to the simple pancake dish. If adding greens to your pancakes isn't quite your thing, apples or strawberries add a hint of natural sugar to your pancakes for a healthier sweet treat - which are both among the UK’s favourites when it comes to pancake toppings this year.
Cinnamon, Lemon Pancakes and Maple Syrup Pancakes
If you prefer much more traditional flavourings, cinnamon gives a sweet, woody note to your pancakes. Alternatively, lemon is a great way to add some zesty flavour to your dish, balancing out the sweetness for a punchy taste. Even more traditional, Maple syrup offers a tried and tested pancake flavour that is well-loved by all, adding hints of caramel and vanilla for depths of deliciousness everyone can appreciate.Try out some of the UK's favourite pancake toppings for yourself this Shrove Tuesday to see whether you agree with the nation's top choices!