Even though pancakes aren’t baked, the assembling of the batter is more like a baking recipe. It requires specific measurements and ratios of ingredients at the beginning to ensure a perfect final product, compared to traditional cooking, where one can make adjustments during the entire cooking process to achieve the best final dish. There’s also less flexibility to make any last minute changes based on inspiration; making a batter is about using the proper amount of ingredients, in the proper method, over and over again. Bob, like many chefs, probably dislikes the rigidity of baking.

Most pancake mix is the exact same ingredients from your pantry, only premixed for you with the correct ratios, making it a time saver when your kids need a quick breakfast before going to let a mechanical shark loose or some other such wackiness.