Pancake vs. Wrap — What's the Difference?

A thin, flat cake of batter, fried on both sides in a pan.

Popular in many cuisines, versatile in preparation.

Often sweet and served with syrup.

A soft flatbread rolled around a filling.

Associated with cultural events and holidays, like Shrove Tuesday.

Often eaten as a portable, convenient meal.

Variants exist globally, such as crepes in France or dosa in India.

Can be made with a variety of flatbreads, including tortillas or pita.

Can be adapted to include various mix-ins like fruit or chocolate chips.

Filling can be hot or cold, including meats, veggies, and sauces.

A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack, not to be confused with oat bar flapjacks) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan, often frying with oil or butter. Archaeological evidence suggests that pancakes were probably the earliest and most widespread cereal food eaten in prehistoric societies.The pancake's shape and structure varies worldwide.

Cover or enclose in paper or soft material

A thin, flat cake of batter, fried on both sides in a pan and typically rolled up with a sweet or savoury filling

Cause (a word or unit of text) to be carried over to a new line automatically as the margin is reached, or to fit around embedded features such as pictures

Make-up consisting of a flat solid layer of compressed powder, used especially in the theatre.

Finish filming or recording

(with reference to an aircraft) make or cause to make a pancake landing

A loose outer garment or piece of material

Flatten or become flattened

The end of a session of filming or recording

A thin cake made of batter that is poured onto a hot greased surface and cooked on both sides until brown. Also called flannel cake, flapjack, griddle cake, hotcake; also called regionally battercake.

A tortilla wrapped around a cold filling, eaten as a sandwich.

To cause (an aircraft) to make a pancake landing.

To arrange or fold (something) about as cover or protection

To make a pancake landing.

To cover, envelop, or encase, as by folding or coiling something about

To fall flat to the ground with great force, especially to collapse in such a way that higher floors or structures fall directly on the ones beneath.

To enclose, especially in paper, and fasten

A thin batter cake fried in a pan or on a griddle in oil or butter; in particular:

To clasp, fold, or coil about something

In England, an often unleavened cake similar to a crepe.

To move (text that will not fit on a line) automatically to the following line.

In the US (and e.g. Scotland), a leavened, thicker, fluffier cake.

To envelop and obscure

(theater) A kind of makeup, consisting of a thick layer of a compressed powder.

To surround or involve in a specified quality or atmosphere

(juggling) A type of throw, usually with a ring where the prop is thrown in such a way that it rotates round an axis of the diameter of the prop.

To engross

Anything very thin and flat.

To coil or twist about or around something

Composite leather made of scraps, glue and board, by extension of (4), material originally used for insoles, but later used also for heels and even soles.

To be moved automatically to the following line upon reaching a margin. Used of text.

A box on which an actor stands to make them appear taller.

To put on warm clothing. Usually used with up.

(volleyball) A defensive play in which the ball bounces off the top of a hand that has been pressed flat against the floor.

To conclude filming

(intransitive) To make a pancake landing.

A garment to be wrapped or folded about a person, especially an outer garment such as a robe, cloak, shawl, or coat.

To collapse one floor after another.

A blanket.

(transitive) To flatten violently.

A wrapping or wrapper.

A thin cake of batter fried in a pan or on a griddle; a griddlecake; a flapjack.

A flatbread, such as a tortilla or lavash, rolled around a filling. Also called roll-up.

A flat cake of thin batter fried on both sides on a griddle

The completion of filming on a movie.

(transitive) To enclose (an object) completely in any flexible, thin material such as fabric or paper.

(transitive) To enclose or coil around an object or organism, as a form of grasping.

(figurative) To conceal by enveloping or enfolding; to hide.

To finish shooting (filming) a video, television show, or movie.

(lines, words, text, etc.) To break a continuous line (of text) onto the next line

To make functionality available through a software wrapper.

(transitive) To (cause to) reset to an original value after passing a maximum.

Paper or sheeting that is wrapped around something to protect, contain, or conceal it.

A loose piece of women's clothing that one wraps around the body; a shawl or scarf.

An outer garment worn as protection while riding, travelling etc.

A type of food consisting of various ingredients wrapped in a tortilla or pancake.

(entertainment) The completion of all or a major part of a performance.

A wraparound mortgage.

A complete news report ready for broadcast, incorporating spoken reporting and other material.

To snatch up; transport; - chiefly used in the p. p. wrapt.

To wind or fold together; to arrange in folds.

To cover by winding or folding; to envelop completely; to involve; to infold; - often with up.

A wrapper; - often used in the plural for blankets, furs, shawls, etc., used in riding or traveling.

Cloak that is folded or wrapped around a person

A sandwich in which the filling is rolled up in a soft tortilla

The covering (usually paper or cellophane) in which something is wrapped

Arrange or fold as a cover or protection;

Wrap or coil around;

Enclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering;

While pancakes can be part of a balanced diet, they often contain sugar and are served with sweet toppings, which may not be suitable for all diets.

Wraps can contain a variety of fillings, including meats, vegetables, cheeses, and sauces.

Pancakes are cooked on a griddle or frying pan, often from scratch, while wraps are assembled with pre-cooked ingredients and the flatbread itself is not typically cooked with the filling.

Pancakes are primarily made from a batter containing flour, eggs, milk, and a leavening agent like baking powder.

Common pancake toppings include syrup, butter, whipped cream, fruits, and sometimes even nuts or chocolate chips.

Wraps are often categorized as a type of sandwich because they consist of fillings encased in bread; however, they are rolled rather than stacked.

Yes, wraps are excellent for meal prep as they can be made in advance, stored in the refrigerator, and eaten throughout the week, either cold or reheated.

Yes, wraps can be prepared with cold fillings and eaten without heating, making them a convenient meal option.

Yes, pancakes can be made gluten-free by using alternative flours such as almond flour, coconut flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Health-conscious fillings for wraps include lean proteins like chicken or turkey, a variety of vegetables, low-fat cheeses, and hummus or yogurt-based sauces.

The calorie content can vary widely, but generally, pancakes might have more calories due to their butter and syrup toppings, whereas wraps can be lighter, especially if filled with vegetables and lean protein.

Both pancakes and wraps can be made vegan. Pancakes can use substitutes like plant-based milk and egg replacers, while wraps can be filled with plant-based proteins and vegetables.

Cooking a pancake usually takes a few minutes per side on a hot griddle, whereas assembling a wrap can be quicker if using pre-prepared ingredients but may take longer if fillings need to be cooked first.

Cultural variations greatly influence both dishes; pancakes can vary from American fluffy styles to French crepes, while wraps include Mexican burritos, Middle Eastern shawarma, and Indian kati rolls.

For pancakes, a griddle or non-stick frying pan is essential, while wraps require minimal equipment but may benefit from a pan or grill if toasting is desired.