Re: How does a solid absorb a liquid Does the solid's temperature affect that?

First of all, the reason that solids "absorb" liquids in the way you
describe is due to a difference in surface tension energy between when it is
free and when it has been absorbed. This means that it usually takes less
internal energy for the liquid to exist co-mingled with a solid than by
itself.
Things spontaneously occur when there is a route from a condition of higher
energy to low energy.

As to answering your question, I believe that the hot pancake will absorb
the syrup faster than the dry one.

The reason being that being hotter, it reduces the viscosity of the syrup
and this enables the syrup to permeate the holes in the pancake faster. Also
being hotter, the pancake's internal materials are softer and more fluid,
permitting the transfer of materials faster through it.

Of course you should know that this behavior may only apply to pancakes! and
should not necessarily be generalized to all solids in other situations.