The pancake is a small, flat cake, often round, thin, and of light batter. In Britain, pancakes are often unleavened. They may be served at any time with a savoury or sweet topping, or they may be wrapped around a filling. They may be eaten hot as a snack food or dessert, or cold as a side dish or light meal.

In Anglo-Saxon culture, pancakes were traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday (also known as Fat Tuesday) before the fasting period of Lent began; however today in many countries, they are eaten at all times of the year.

A standard pancake is about the size of an English muffin or an American silver dollar pancake (about 4 inches across). You can make larger pancakes by doubling the recipe or making two at a time on one griddle. Thicker pancakes can be made by increasing each ingredient by 25%. Thinner ones can be made by decreasing each ingredient by 25%.

Last modified: October 9, 2022