I had pancakes for breakfast this morning
Then you had a very ancient breakfast! Archaeologist believe pancakes were probably the earliest and most eaten cereal food back in prehistoric times.
Really?  I had no idea!  I wonder how they were different back then
Probably more like the British pancake, which is often unleavened and like the French crepe. In the US baking powder is often used.
I use baking powder in mine.  What kinds of toppings can be used?
Whatever you like. A variation from southeast Europe is a thin pancake fried on both sides and filled with jelly, cream cheese or ground walnuts. Any sweet or savory topping would work.
That sounds kind of like a doughnut.  Do most cultures have a version of the pancake?
Pancake
A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) 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. In Britain, pancakes are often unleavened and resemble a crêpe.
headed for the mess hall for breakfast. It was an all you-can-eat feast of powdered eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, syrup, jelly, bread and coffee. I piled my mess kit high and found a quiet place to eat. After a few bites I was full. Stomachs had shrunk. After a few days, we gained most of our weight back. They gave us the rest of the day to rest and clean equipment.
The rest break didn't last long. The very