I still remember the first time I heard someone mention having a Dutch Baby for brunch. I’d never heard of the dish and was pretty confused. Since learning to make them myself I’ve received many perplexed looks when I announce what’s for breakfast. If you fall into that category of confusion let me explain just what this dish is.

Also called a German pancake, Dutch Puff, or Hootenanny, this dish is more or less a combination of a crepe and a popover. It’s baked rather than cooked in a skillet and the batter is thin and eggy, without any leavening ingredient such as baking powder. They’re often baked in cast iron skillets, but any oven-safe pan will do. For this recipe we went with a full 9×13 inch dish for one very large and crowd-pleasing cake. Watching the batter puff up in the oven feels a bit like a science experiment. Don’t be too disappointed when it deflates a bit once taken out of the oven, that’s normal as the air inside cools off.

The topping options here are truly unlimited. Fresh fruit, jams, syrup, whipped cream- I’ve even seen savory versions. I typically like to keep things classic with a dusting of powdered sugar and some fresh fruit, but it’s impossible to go wrong. No matter how you serve it up, this dish is bound to be a hit with any hungry crew.