Red Velvet Heart-Shaped Pancakes for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is on Sunday, so you have plenty of time to make these Red Velvet Heart-Shaped Pancakes for your sweetheart! You can make Red Velvet Pancakes from scratch or use a mix. Add a little extra love by using a heart-shaped pancake mold or go freehand, as in the last recipe! Hint: If you use a mold, use several and spray the molds, so the pancakes don't stick.

There are many Red Velvet Pancake Mixes. My favorite Red Velvet Pancake Mix is from The Griddle Cafe. My second choice which is still fab would be the Red Velvet Pancake Mix from Cost Plus World Market which is on sale today 2/11).

Want to make Red Velvet Pancakes from Scratch? Here are three awesome recipes. Let me know which you like best!

1. RED VELVET PANCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE 
(Adapted from About.com)

Pancakes:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp Dark cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
8 ounces buttermilk
4 Tbsp sweet butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp red liquid food coloring
3/4 cup chocolate chips or dark chocolate chopped into chunks

Extra butter or nonstick cooking spray

Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1 Tbsp milk

Directions
Preheat griddle to medium-high heat. In bowl, whisk to combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
In separate bowl, whisk eggs, then add milk, buttermilk, butter, vanilla extract, white vinegar and food coloring, whisking to combine completely. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Do not overmix.
Brush some butter or spray nonstick cooking spray on hot griddle, and spoon batter into desired sized pancakes. Cook until bubbles form in batter, the edges are dry and underside is lightly brown, about 5 minutes, then flip over and cook other side 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat as needed until all batter is used.

As pancakes cook, make cream cheese glaze: 
In small bowl, use fork to stir together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add a little milk if needed to make glaze that has thin enough consistency to drizzle.

To serve, stack three pancakes on a plate and drizzle cream cheese glaze over them.

2. BISQUICK RED VELVET PANCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE
(recipe from Betty Crocker)


Cream Cheese Topping
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sweet butter, softened
3 Tbsp milk
2 cups powdered sugar

Pancakes 
2 cups Original Bisquick™ mix
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 cup milk
1 to 1 1/2 tsp red paste food color**
2 eggs
Powdered sugar, if desired

Directions 
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and 3 Tbsp milk with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until topping is smooth. Cover; set aside.
In large bowl, stir all pancake ingredients except powdered sugar with wire whisk until well blended.
Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat (375°F). (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.) Brush with vegetable oil if necessary or spray with cooking spray before heating.
For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbles form on top and edges are dry. Turn; cook other side until golden brown.
Spoon cream cheese topping into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag; squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pancakes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.


** Do not use liquid red food coloring in this recipe**

3. RED VELVET HEART SHAPED PANCAKES
(recipe from Food Network Kitchen)

Ingredients
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tbsp whole milk
2 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Fine salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup melted and cooled butter, plus more for griddle
2 tsp red food coloring
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tspapple cider vinegar

Directions
Whisk cream cheese, sour cream, milk, and confectioners' sugar until smooth in medium bowl; set aside. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into large bowl.
Beat eggs and granulated sugar in another large bowl until pale yellow; beat in buttermilk, melted butter, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and fold just until incorporated. Transfer some of batter to squeeze bottle with 1/4-inch opening.
Heat griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Lightly coat hot skillet with melted butter and squeeze some of batter onto it in outline of heart or hearts of desired size. Fill in each outline with more batter; use spatula to spread to edges of heart. Cook each pancake until bubbles begin to pop on the surface, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until bottom is set and pancake is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Repeat with  remaining batter. Drizzle cream cheese mixture and maple syrup on top of pancakes and sprinkle with toasted pecans.