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Arepa di Pampuna on a plate with star anise.
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5 from 18 votes

Pumpkin Pancakes - Arepa di Pampuna from Curacao

These Caribbean pumpkin pancakes -- known as Arepa di Pampuna -- are a traditional dish of Curaçao. They’re made with pumpkin puree, fragrant cinnamon, nutmeg, flour and eggs and are the perfect, crispy pancake for autumn. 
Enjoy them for a weekend breakfast, a Thanksgiving brunch or as a satisfying mid-morning snack.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Caribbean, Curaçao, Curacaoan
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 260kcal
Cost: $8

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Bowl
  • Spatula
  • Whisk or electric beater

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly-grated if available
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • raisins 1/2 cup optional
  • icing sugar powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar for dusting
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  • Break the eggs into a bowl and beat until frothy. 
  • Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla and milk. Stir well until smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder with the cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. 
  • Add the dry ingredients all at once to the liquid pumpkin mixture. Mix lightly. Add raisins if desired. Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes.
  • In a frying pan (or an electric skillet set at 350 Fahrenheit ) pour a thin layer of vegetable oil and set to medium heat.
  • When oil is hot enough (a drop of water should dance on the surface), slowly pour 1/3 cup of the mixture into the oil. 
  • If your batter is thick, you may need to smooth the top of each pancake to make a round symmetrical shape. 
  • When one side of each pancake is completely cooked, bubbles should begin to appear on the surface and they should be a golden brown colour on the cooked side. Gently flip each pancake over with a spatula. 
  • When both sides of the pancake are cooked, remove it from the heat and place it on a separate dish and cover. 
  • Repeat the process until done, adding more oil as needed. When adding oil, allow the oil to get hot again. Adjust the heat of the skillet as needed. The pancakes should be a golden brown colour.
  • Sprinkle the cooked pancakes with a light dusting of icing sugar using a sifter or wire strainer.

Pumpkin Puree

  • For pumpkin puree you can use either home-made pumpkin puree or a can of store-bought pumpkin puree. Just be sure to purchase pure pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar, spices and other ingredients already added.
    To make your own pumpkin puree from scratch, just peel a fresh pumpkin, split and remove all the seeds. Chop the pumpkin into pieces and boil it in water until soft. Drain completely, mash and allow it to cool before using it in this recipe.

Notes

  • Serve plain or with a light dusting of icing sugar. 
  • If you make them in advance, just stack them in layers on a piece of foil, wrap tightly and heat in a 350 Fahrenheit  oven until hot.  
  •  To freeze, label a resealable plastic, BPA-free bag with the date they were made. Once the pancakes have cooled to room temperature, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and place them inside the freezer bag and remove the air using a straw. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed to be accurate. It is created by online calculators and although we attempt to provide accurate nutritional information, the figures are only estimates.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 432mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 9701IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 3mg