Culinary SOS: Highland Bakery’s sweet potato pancakes with brown sugar butter sauce

Dear SOS: I was recently in Atlanta visiting a friend. She took me to Highland Bakery, where I had the most delicious sweet potato pancakes. Can you please try to get the recipe? Thank you so much.

Stacy Wawerchak

Redondo Beach

Dear Stacy: Fresh off the griddle, these warm and tempting sweet potato pancakes are lightly spiced and deliciously aromatic. You could top them with maple syrup, but they’re best drizzled with Highland Bakery’s rich praline-like brown sugar butter sauce. CouldMother’s Day breakfast possibly get any better? I think not.

Highland Bakery’s sweet potato pancakes with brown sugar butter sauce

Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

Note: Adapted from Highland Bakery in Atlanta.

Brown sugar butter sauce

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup water

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Whisk in the water and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened. This makes about 1 cup sauce.

Sweet potato pancakes

2 medium-small sweet potatoes, about 1½ pounds total

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (4 ounces) whole wheat flour

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3.8 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup (½ stick) butter

2 eggs

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, more if desired

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon molasses

Brown sugar butter sauce

Toasted pecans, for garnish

1. Scrub the sweet potatoes and pierce them all over with a fork. Microwave on high until they are easily pierced through with a knife or fork, 6 to 7 minutes. Slit the sweet potatoes lengthwise and set aside until just cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.

2. While the sweet potatoes are cooling, in a large mixing bowl, sift together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Spoon the flesh of the warm sweet potatoes into a bowl and measure 1¼ cups (discard any remainder, or save for another use). Transfer the 1¼ cups sweet potatoes into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and process until smooth. Add the eggs and brown sugar and continue to process until smooth. Add as much of the buttermilk as will fit and process until smooth.

4. Spoon the sweet potato mixture and the remaining buttermilk, along with the vanilla and molasses, into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. If the batter is too thick, adjust the consistency as desired with a little more buttermilk.

5. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly oil the griddle and drop heaping spoonfuls of batter onto the hot griddle. When the pancakes set and start to bubble, flip and cook until golden. Serve with the brown sugar butter sauce and garnish with toasted pecans.

Each of 6 servings: 623 calories; 10 grams protein; 91 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 26 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 126 mg cholesterol; 54 grams sugar; 756 mg sodium.