In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center. See the note below on how to make buttermilk.
Pour the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs into the middle of the bowl. Use a fork to whisk the eggs into the liquid first, then combine the buttermilk and eggs. Mix the batter with a whisk or silicone spatula from the outside of the bowl in, until the flour is incorporated.
Cook the pancakes:
Heat your cast iron pan on low heat for 5 minutes. Once the surface is hot, grease it with oil. Butter tends to brown quickly, so oil is recommended for this method. Turn the heat up near medium.
Pour or scoop ⅓ cup of pancake batter on the greased hot surface, cooking 2 to 3 pancakes at a time, ensuring room between the pancakes.
Cook them for 2 minutes on the first side until bubbles rise to the surface, the edges of the pancakes become defined, and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip the pancakes and cook until the other side for one more minute. Do not press down with a spatula.
Remove the pancakes and serve immediately, or keep them warm in a 200F preheated oven until you've finished cooking the rest of the batter.
Serve:
Serve these pancakes with butter and pancake syrup or your favorite pancake toppings.
Storage:
Refrigerate leftover pancake batter overnight and let it fully come to room temperature before cooking it the next day. Or, cook them all and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Notes
DIY buttermilk: These pancakes can be made with regular milk. However, they're much tastier with buttermilk. If you have none, make buttermilk by adding 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice inside a large measuring cup. Add enough regular milk to fill it to the 1 ¾ cup line. Stir and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes before using.
Use the right baking powder: Since pancake batter naturally has a mild, neutral flavor, it's important to use aluminum-free baking powder. The metallic flavor will ruin the taste, especially in fluffy pancake recipes that call for 2 or more teaspoons. Trust me on this one.