In a bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder and sugar together. In another bowl, mix egg, milk, oil and vanilla well. Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Heat a frying pan at medium heat until hot, and oil lightly with paper towel. Then cool a pan resting on a wet towel for a couple of seconds, and put back on the stove. Or, if you have an electric griddle, set the temperature at 320F (160C). Either way, the pan needs to be hot all around (preheating) for the cake to rise well, but it will burn if it's too hot.

Pour a ladle full of the batter onto the pan. Cook until bubbles come up and the surface dries a little, about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook for a couple of minutes. Cook until the batter is gone.

Serve with butter and syrup.