Mothers Day Brunch Pancake Berries (Printable version)

Layered dish with fluffy pancakes, fresh berries, and creamy custard baked to golden perfection.

# What you need:

→ Pancakes

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Custard

10 - 4 large eggs
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
13 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - Zest of 1 lemon, optional

→ Berries

16 - 2 cups mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
17 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Topping

19 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
20 - Maple syrup, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, gently toss mixed berries with 2 tablespoons sugar and lemon juice. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well blended.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined, avoiding overmixing to maintain fluffy texture.
06 - Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease. Pour batter to form 4-inch pancakes. Cook until bubbles form on surface, flip, and cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter to yield approximately 12 pancakes. Let cool slightly.
07 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest if using, until smooth and fully combined.
08 - Cut cooled pancakes in half and arrange slightly overlapping in prepared baking dish. Scatter half the berry mixture over pancakes. Pour custard evenly over top, gently pressing pancakes to submerge them.
09 - Top with remaining berries. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes until custard is set and top is lightly browned.
11 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can assemble it the night before, leaving you free to actually enjoy your guests instead of manning the stove.
  • It serves a crowd without tasting like you've been cooking for hours, because honestly, you haven't.
  • The texture hits that perfect middle ground—fluffy pancakes, silky custard, bursts of fresh berries all at once.
  • Everyone asks for the recipe, then admits they thought you'd made the pancakes fresh that morning.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the pancake batter or you'll end up with dense, tough pancakes instead of fluffy ones; lumpy is exactly what you want.
  • If you're making this the night before, cover it tightly after assembly and refrigerate; bake it straight from the fridge, adding a few minutes to the covered baking time if needed.
  • The custard needs to actually set, not just look firm on top; a knife inserted in the center should come out mostly clean, with just a tiny shimmer.
03 -
  • Don't let the custard mixture sit too long before pouring it over the pancakes, or the batter will start to soak up liquid unevenly and create dry patches.
  • If you're using store-bought pancakes to save time, they work beautifully—just make sure they're cooled before assembling so they don't break apart when you cut them.
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