Mothers Day Brunch Pancake Casserole (Printer-Friendly)

Fluffy pancakes layered with fresh berries and creamy custard, baked to golden perfection.

# 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 including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
17 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Topping

19 - Powdered sugar for dusting
20 - Maple syrup for serving

# Direction Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, gently toss mixed berries with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside to release juices.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs, 2 cups milk, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain light, fluffy texture.
06 - Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease. Pour batter to form 4-inch pancakes. Cook until bubbles form on surface, flip, and cook until golden. Repeat with remaining batter yielding approximately 12 pancakes. Cool slightly.
07 - In a large bowl, whisk 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and lemon zest if using until smooth and fully combined.
08 - Cut cooled pancakes in half and arrange slightly overlapping in prepared baking dish. Scatter half the macerated berries over pancakes. Pour custard evenly over top, gently pressing pancakes to ensure submersion.
09 - Top with remaining berries. Cover dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes until custard is set and top is lightly browned.
11 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You prep it the night before and just pop it in the oven, so you're actually present at brunch instead of flipping pancakes one by one.
  • It looks restaurant-worthy with minimal fuss—those jewel-toned berries peeking through custard make people think you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • Unlike regular pancakes that get cold on a plate, this stays warm and custardy throughout the meal, getting better as it sits.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step for pancakes—they'll break apart when you cut them if they're too warm, and your layers will look messy instead of intentional.
  • The custard will look like it's not setting toward the end of baking, but it keeps cooking as it cools, so trust the timing and don't overbake or it becomes rubbery.
  • If you're making this the night before, cover it after assembly and refrigerate, then add 10 extra minutes to baking time since it starts cold.
03 -
  • Use room temperature eggs for your custard—they whisk more smoothly and incorporate better, creating a silkier texture throughout.
  • Don't be tempted to skip the lemon; even if you think you don't like citrus, a small amount in the custard makes every other flavor pop louder.
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