American-style buttermilk pancakes

Put the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl or large measuring jug, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and lightly whisk until combined. Take care not to overwhisk or the pancakes may turn out tough and dry.

Heat a large, nonstick frying pan over a medium-low heat and, when hot, brush with ½ tsp vegetable oil. Working in batches, add large spoonfuls of the batter to the pan to make 8 x 10-12cm diameter pancakes. Keep the heat on medium-low; this is important for light, fluffy pancakes – you want them to cook all the way through without burning. Once little bubbles start to appear and the bottom looks golden, flip with a spatula and cook on the other side for a further 2-3 minutes. Keep warm while you make more batches, brushing the pan with more oil as necessary.