How does heat propagate through pancakes? Is there finite activation energy? 

 Let us start with some phenomenology:

1.  In the very beginning [1] they were not there [2].

2.  Very first signs of life came from primeval soup [3] of complex organic molecules mixed with flour.

 3. Hydrodynamic phase: embryo pancake behaves as a viscous liquid.

4. Annealing: during  non-equilibrium heating process one  may observe propagation of at least two heat waves which are easily distinguished by their reflection intensity having extrema in different regions of visible spectrum (i.e. they have different color).

5. When the pancake is homogeneously yellow one may  fearlessly turn it to the other side - it already cannot break.

6.  Voila!

7. And make somebody happy))