Cast Iron Skillet Cake Recipes

Steps:

• The thing about trying to cook meals on a budget, they often end up making me feel like I didn't make anything special. Then, I put a call in to my inner chef and realized that with a few ingredients and a little elbow grease, I can make something that feels fancy and exciting without breaking the bank.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter and bring it to a gentle simmer. Shut off the heat and allow it to sit a minute on the stove. The milk solids should start to sink to the bottom. Slowly pour the butter into a bowl, keeping as much of the white milky liquid as possible in the saucepan. Discard the milk solids; these are prone to burning and by clarifying the butter, the potato cake will be less likely to overbrown. Keep the butter warm on the stove.
• Using a mandolin slicer or a sharp knife, cut all of the potatoes into thin (1/8-inch thick) slices. Transfer them to a bowl and cover them with 3/4 of the melted butter. Season with a little salt and the dried thyme and toss to coat the potatoes with the butter. Pour the remaining butter in the bottom of the cast iron skillet and swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remember that the bottom layer with be the top when you unmold this cake so it should be done with extra care. Layer the potatoes, following the edge of the skillet, so they overlap. Start the second circle, closer to the center, of overlapping potato rounds. Continue to make circles with the potatoes until the entire bottom of the skillet is filled with potato rounds in smaller and smaller circles. Fill the skillet with another level layer of potatoes. Sprinkle a touch of salt and make 3 more layers. Press down gently on the potatoes to make sure they are starting to stick together and form a cake.
• Place the skillet on high heat and cook until the water starts to emerge from the potatoes and you can see the edges browning, 5 to 8 minutes. Place the skillet in the oven and cook, undisturbed, until the potatoes feel tender in the center when pierced with the tip of a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the skillet and carefully pour off any excess butter or liquid into a bowl. Place the skillet on a flat surface and cover it with a platter larger than the skillet. Carefully turn the platter over in one deft motion. Lift off the skillet and use a large metal spatula to place it back in the skillet so it can brown on the second side. Pour the butter back in and cook in the oven for an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. Pour off any liquid. Season with salt. Cut into wedges like a pie. Serve immediately in the skillet. Alternatively, lift it out of the skillet and serve on a platter or in slices on individual plates.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt together the butter and brown sugar in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on medium heat. When the sugar and butter have melted together stir in the blackberries, pineapple, thyme leaves and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the brown sugar begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. Once this happens turn the heat off.
• Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package and pour over the fruit. Bake until the cake is slightly golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the creme fraiche: Whisk the creme fraiche, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, lemon zest and salt in a medium bowl to stiff peaks.
• To serve: Serve slices of cake warm or at room temperature with dollops of vanilla creme fraiche.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over low heat. Transfer 1/2 of the melted butter to a mixing bowl, leaving remaining butter in the skillet.
• Add sugar to the mixing bowl and beat with the melted butter until well blended. Add egg and mix until well beaten. Mix in flour and vanilla. Add milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until mixture is the consistency of pancake batter. Pour batter into the skillet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the stovetop.

Steps:

• In bowl, mix flour, first six tablespoons of butter, eggs, baking powder, sugar, salt, and milk with a spoon to form a lumpy batter.
• Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter and brown sugar in cast iron skillet on low heat.
• When sugar and butter are melted, sprinkle in about 1 cup of well-drained fruit. Pour batter mixture on top so that all fruit is covered.
• Bake in center of oven at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until center of cake tests done.
• Remove skillet from oven and immediately invert the skillet onto platter.
• If the cake doesn't drop on the first try, re-heat the skillet for a minute or two on the stovetop to loosen the sugars, but be careful as the fruit and sugar is very hot.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Add melted butter to 12-inch cast iron or ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange 8 pineapple slices in bottom of skillet. Cut remaining slices in half; arrange around inside edge of skillet. Place 1 cherry in center of each whole and half pineapple slice.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, pineapple juice, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes on high speed. Pour into skillet over fruit.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched lightly in center.
• Cool cake in skillet 5 to 10 minutes. Run knife around edge of cake to loosen. Place heatproof plate upside down over skillet; turn plate and skillet over. Remove skillet. Serve cake warm.