Have you ever heard of a Baby Cake? How about a Dutch Baby Cake? no? What about a Dutch Baby Pancake?

Still no? Don't worry, it's not just you.

Once you taste one you will wonder where the heck these crisp, eggy, sugary cakes have been. Especially if you, like me, live an hour from the Dutch Wonderland ground zero that is Lancaster, Pa. I almost feel like going to the closest Farmers Market and scolding the nice Amish people with their beautiful pies and donuts. I would demand they start to share this goodness with the world!

Too intense? Probably. But they are that great.

Anyway, so the Dutch Baby Pancake is a cross between a thin, crisp pancake and a thicker crepe, but is much eggier and poufs like a brilliant vanilla souffle. It's fancy enough for impromptu Sunday brunch guests but easy and quick enough to not leave you wishing they never came.

Couple of notes:

• Everything should be close to room temperature. This is a standard rule when baking, period. Just pull everything out of the fridge while you are waiting for the oven to preheat. For the eggs, set them in a bowl of room temp water. 
• If you have one, make sure to use your large cast iron frying pan. 
• The picture I have up is of a basic batter recipe with blueberries added on top. However, they are traditionally made with apples or pears, so I will include these instructions in the recipe. This is the way I would suggest trying it first.
• You can also take the savory route. Following the same idea as for the apples or pears, you could fry up some sausage or bacon with some peppers, onions, greens and then top it with a fine dusting of cheese when it comes out of the oven. Just omit the sugar from the batter...and maybe spice it up a bit! 

Dutch Baby Pancake
adapted from Orangette
makes enough for 2 mini (6 in) cast iron pans, or one large 10-13 in cast iron or oven proof pan
*If you are not starting off with any fruit or other yummy add ins, still add the butter to the pan, melt it, then pour batter over. It needs the butter to taste even more amazing and to not stick like a mother to the pan*

4 Tbs unsalted butter
1 apple (peeled), 1 pear, or 2 not to ripe plums washed cored/pitted and sliced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

(Batter recipe)
4 large eggs
2/3 cup all purpose floor, spooned into measuring cup, leveled off, and then sifted (or not, if your in a pinch or just lazy)
2/3 cup whole milk, or half and half will work
2 Tbs sugar

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Make sure there isn't a rack right above your middle rack, or that your top rack is placed all the way up. The top will need some room to rise.

Set your cast iron on the stove over med heat. Lop in the butter and let it melt. Just before it's completely melted and foamy, add the sliced fruit. Arrange them so they are all cut side down and not overlapping. Let them sit for a few minutes to fry up.

While the fruit is cooking, add your eggs to a blender. Give them a good whirl on the stir or mix setting until they are slightly foamy, a bit lighter in color and uniform. Now add the rest of the batter ingredients. Give another whirl until a uniform and thin batter appears.

Back to the fruit, you may need to turn the fruit a few times to give a bit more color and softness, but we're not looking for a caramelized apple/pear or a nearly disintegrated plum. Rearrange them so they are in a somewhat nice looking and fanned out pattern. Pour the batter over the fruit evenly. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

**now, when you go to remove it, you are going to have to act quick in order to ensure your guests have a chance to marvel at it's puffy glory before it sinks, which it will do**

You can give a squeeze of lemon on top and a dusting of powdered sugar, which is traditional, or you can go for a drizzle of some maple syrup, a drizzle of more clarified butter, berries etc. It's really up to you!

Slice like a pie and serve, and probably repeat again.