Wheat Germ and Buttermilk Cakes with
Peach and Cinnamon Maple Topping
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
1¾ cups buttermilk, or more as needed
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
Cinnamon Maple Topping (recipe follows)
1. Combine the flour, wheat germ, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Sieve the baking soda into the flour mixture. Stir to blend.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the 1¾ cups buttermilk with the butter and egg until blended. Add to the flour mixture and stir just until blended. If the batter thickens too much while standing, stir in a little more buttermilk, about 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin slightly.
3. Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat until hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Brush on a thin film of vegetable oil, or spray with nonstick cooking spray. For each pancake, pour ¼ cup batter onto the griddle or into the skillet. Adjust the heat to medium-low. Cook until the tops are covered with small bubbles and the bottoms are lightly browned. Carefully turn and cook the other side until lightly browned. Repeat with the remaining batter.
4. Serve the pancakes warm with the warm topping.
MAKES ABOUT TWELVE 4-INCH PANCAKES.
Cinnamon Maple Topping: Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Peel and cut 2 large peaches into thin wedges. Add the peaches to the butter and cook, stirring, to coat and heat through. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir to coat. Add ½ cup maple syrup, or more, to taste, and stir to blend. Gently heat. Do not boil.