Mothers Day Brunch Pancakes Berries (Printable Version)

A comforting casserole with fluffy pancakes, fresh berries, and creamy custard, perfect for a special brunch.

# What You’ll 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

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, gently combine mixed berries with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Let sit at room temperature until juices release.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Do not overmix; lumps are acceptable.
06 - Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease. Pour batter in 4-inch circles and cook until bubbles form on surface, approximately 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Repeat until all batter is used, yielding approximately 12 pancakes. Transfer to a plate and cool slightly.
07 - In a large bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and lemon zest if desired until smooth and homogeneous.
08 - Cut cooled pancakes in half and arrange slightly overlapping in the prepared baking dish. Distribute half the macerated berries evenly over pancakes. Pour custard mixture uniformly over layers, gently pressing pancakes to partially submerge.
09 - Scatter remaining berries over custard layer. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
10 - Bake covered for 30 minutes until custard begins to set.
11 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until custard is fully set and top is lightly golden brown.
12 - Remove from oven and allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • You can prep everything the night before and just slide it in the oven, leaving you time to set a real table instead of flipping pancakes solo.
  • It tastes like a bakery-quality custard pancake but arrives looking deceptively simple, which somehow makes it taste even better.
  • Fresh berries and lemon zest keep it bright and not-too-heavy, perfect for a morning celebration.
02 -
  • If your custard looks curdled or scrambled, your oven was too hot or the berries' liquid was too acidic—the fix is next time, use room-temperature eggs and let the acidic fruit sit separately until assembly.
  • Pancakes can be made completely the day before and stored in the fridge in a sealed container; this actually makes them better at absorbing custard since they're slightly firmer.
03 -
  • Make the pancakes and custard the night before, then assemble and bake in the morning—it cuts your Mother's Day morning stress by half.
  • If your berries are particularly watery (like late-season strawberries), drain them after tossing with sugar, then save that syrup to drizzle on top instead of plain maple syrup.
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