Baked Marmalade Pancake

This is a Dutch baby pancake (or German pancake, or Bismarck, depending on whose grandmother is making it) topped with bittersweet orange marmalade and a snow of powdered sugar. The batter is just eggs, flour, milk, and almond extract whisked together, but the magic happens in the oven, where the high heat causes the batter to climb the sides of a hot buttered skillet and puff up into a wildly dramatic, golden-edged pancake that deflates within minutes of leaving the oven.

Serve at the table immediately, before the puff falls. The shock-and-awe presentation alone justifies making this for guests, and the orange marmalade cuts through the richness of all that butter beautifully.

The almond extract is the secret. Just ¼ teaspoon adds a faint backbone of warmth that perfectly complements the citrus marmalade. Vanilla works as a substitute but doesn’t quite hit the same notes.

Pro Tips

• Use a heavy 10 inch ovenproof skillet (cast iron is ideal). Thin pans don’t hold enough heat for the dramatic puff.
• Preheat the oven fully before baking. A cool oven gives a flat, sad pancake.
• Make the batter just before baking. Sitting batter loses its lift.
• Get the pancake to the table fast. The puff falls within 2 to 3 minutes once it leaves the oven.

Variations

• Swap orange marmalade for raspberry, lemon curd, or apricot jam for different flavors.
• Top with fresh berries, sliced bananas, or a drizzle of maple syrup instead of marmalade.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar or sea salt for sweet-and-savory contrast.