Quiet topping on hotcakes regularly delivers surprises (6)

I believe the answer is:

shocks

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'surprises' is the definition.
(I know this)

'quiet topping on hotcakes regularly' is the wordplay.
'quiet topping on' becomes 'sh' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'regularly' indicates alternate letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
The alternating letters of 'hotcakes' are 'ocks'.
'sh'+'ocks'='SHOCKS'

'delivers' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for shocks that I've seen before include "Jolts, jars" , "Sudden upsetting or surprising events" , "Effects of charges of electricity" , "Appals" , "'Stuns, jolts (6)'" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.

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