Buckwheat Cakes

This recipe reads like something pulled from a handwritten cookbook in a farmhouse attic, and that’s exactly the point.

A thin batter of buckwheat flour, water, yeast, brown sugar, and salt rises overnight, developing a tangy sourness that no quick-mix pancake can replicate. Come morning, a pinch of baking soda dissolved in cold water gets beaten in for extra lift before the batter hits a hot griddle.

Here’s the clever part: save half a cup of batter as your starter for the next batch. Just like sourdough, you can keep this going indefinitely.

Pro Tips

• The batter should be thin, closer to crepe batter than regular pancake batter. Buckwheat absorbs liquid differently, so trust the consistency even if it looks runny.
• Add the baking soda right before cooking. It reacts with the overnight fermentation acids and gives you that last burst of rise on the griddle.
• A well-seasoned cast iron griddle is your best friend here. The high, even heat creates crispy edges with tender centers.
• Save that half cup of batter in the fridge. Next time, skip the fresh yeast and use the saved starter instead.