Pumpkin Pancakes with Gingery Honey.

I WENT TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH. Does that not just sound like the cutest way ever to spend a Saturday afternoon? It doooooooes...until I tell you that, well, I looked at the very soggy pumpkin patch and it’s big KEEP OUT sign through the fogging up window of the deserted farm shop, and picked my pumpkins from the indoor display.

Yes, weather-wise it was not ideal. It did not live up to my image of crunching through golden leaves and crystallised ground in wellies and woolly hats and cutting my very own pumpkin and taking pictures and hugging it.

Silver lining though...the farm shop folk seemed to just so grateful that anyone would even leave their front doors that day, let alone make a special ‘out the way’ trip to pick veg, that they gave everyone a big bargain and we got 2 hefty pumpkins for £3. Bargain. That’s a lot of pumpkin baking that’s got to be done.

The reason I did make the ‘out the way’ trip was because sooooo many of the recipes that are floating around bloggyland at the mo are pumpkin all the way; in the states they buy pureed pumpkin in cans you see, and I was determined not to be left out. And I am sooooo pleased I did. The puree is super easy to make....I explain how here, and it’s just so much fooooood; tasty and nutritious food at that, for such little effort and money. You can expect a fair few pumpkin recipes popping up here over the next few weeks so be sure to find your local patch and to go on a soggy day when the people behind the till will feel sorry for you. With Love and Cake.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Gingery Honey.

A few notes:

• I wanted to make these kind of wholesome, hence the addition of oats and wholemeal flour. If you're not feeling the hippy vibe just replace the wholemeal flour with extra self raising and leave out the oats.
• I cannot stress enough how much difference a good, heavy based frying pan makes to pancake success. I have a little but brilliant one and big rubbish one....I use both at the same time for maximum output and the difference in pancake lovelyness is thoroughly evident I'm afraid. It's not a bargain addition to your cupboard but will be a lifelong investment if pancakes are your thing.

Makes about 20

You will need

For the syrup

4 tbsp honey 

1 tbsp golden syrup

2 cm fresh ginger, finely grated

For the pancakes

100g wholemeal flour

125g self raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tbsp caster sugar (golden, for preference)

pinch salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

300ml yogurt or buttermilk

300g pumpkin puree (homemade or from a can)

1 egg

100g rolled oats

crystalised ginger (optional)

• First we'll make the syrup. Pop the honey, syrup and ginger in a little saucepan with a small splash of water.
• Heat gently until a syrupy consistency is achieved and set aside while you get on with the pancakes.
• Stir together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl or mixing jug, whisk together the yogurt or buttermilk, pumpkin and egg.
• Whisk the pumpkin mix into the dry ingredients until well combined and fold in the oats.
• Heat your frying pan over a medium heat and cook heaped tablespoon-fulls of pancake batter until you see little air bubbles all over the surface of the uncooked side of the pancake; a few minutes.
• This means it's time to flip and cook the pancakes on their second side for another couple of minutes...they're ready when they're firm and bronze on both sides.
• Keep the pancakes warm in a low oven if you need, while you carry on cooking the rest of the batter.
• Top pancakes with butter and ginger syrup and a few pieces of crystalised ginger if you're feeling fancy.