Zucchini Bread Pancakes

These pancakes are a delicious way to use up the extra one or two or ten zucchinis that are growing in your garden (or my mom's garden in my case).  The cream cheese topping is perfectly creamy and tangy and the perfect topper for these zucchini pancakes.

Zucchini Bread Pancakes

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups finely shredded zucchini (about 9 ounces whole, or 1 1/2 medium zucchini)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground of freshly grated nutmeg

Butter or oil, for coating skillet

In a large bowl, combine eggs, olive oil, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth.  Stir in zucchini shreds.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Stir dry ingredient into zucchini batter, mixing until just combined.

Heat a large, heavy skillet (I use an electric skillet) over medium heat.  Once hot, melt a pat of butter in pan and swirl it around until it sizzles.  Scoop scant 1/3 cup batter in pan so the puddles of batter do not touch.  Cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Flip pancakes and cook another minute or two, until golden underneath.  Serve warm with cream cheese topping.

Cream Cheese Topping

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Dash of ground cinnamon

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and lump-free.  Whisk in powdered sugar, two tablespoons milk, vanilla, salt and cinnamon until smooth.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen (with a few minor changes)