Apple Skillet Cake

What do you make for friends after a whole day of drinking beer and eating bacon? Well if you’re me, it needs to be something sweet, because you’re done with savory for the day. And something with apples, since it’s fall and you still have a whole crisper drawer of apples to go through. Yeah, I’m that person that bought the bushel of apples at the farmer’s market last week.

Good thing the perfect recipe popped up in my feed around the middle of last week, just as I was really starting to think about what I would feed a bunch of beer-ed up usual suspects. It was from the Pioneer Woman and it looked so amazing that it took all of my power not to lick the screen when I first saw it at work. It also seemed simple enough that I could put it together after an afternoon of beer, and it was something that would stick with the theme of the day–I mean you can cook bacon in a skillet and you cook the cake in a skillet–see the connection?

Thus was born the secret mystery dessert, which I proceeded to hype to the usual suspects all through the weekend. After the festival, everyone was full of suspense (okay maybe I was full of suspense and everyone else was full of the urge to nap) while I put the cake together. Would it turn out? Would it be a suitable end for the day?

The answer to both questions was a resounding YES!

Apple Cake in an Iron Skillet
Adapted from the Pioneer Woman, who in turn adapted it from Sara Moulton

I made some variations to this recipe, mostly to use what I had on hand. My apples were large Fuji’s instead of small Granny Smith’s, so I cut the sugar and used fewer apples. I didn’t have sour cream but I always have plain whole milk yogurt, so I used that instead. I think the recipe could have been kicked up a bit by adding more cinnamon and some nutmeg to the cake batter–but that’s a theory I’ll just have to wait until next time to try out. There will definitely be a next time on this one–I’m a total sucker for caramelized apple on top of a super moist cake.

• 4 to 5 small or 3 large apples (I used Fuji)
• 1 3/4 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup sugar (reduced from the original recipe because I was using sweet Fuji apples)
  

• 1 stick butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 large Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and chopped finely

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a 9 to 10-inch skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add 1/2 cup sugar to the pan and stir around, then place apple slices, wedge side down, in the pan. Don’t pack them too tightly, but try not to leave overly large gaps. Allow this to cook over low/medium-low heat while you make the cake batter.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 stick of butter and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and eggs. Add yogurt and mix well. Gradually add flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in 1 chopped apple.

Remove skillet from heat. Spoon batter over the top, then spread gently so batter is evenly distributed. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and bubbly. Allow cake to sit in skillet for five minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Don’t worry if some of the topping isn’t perfect—it’s not supposed to be.

We served this warm with homemade vanilla ice cream. It was wonderful. And it was even wonderful the next day, reheated in the oven and served with more homemade vanilla ice cream after a Raven’s victory. I think it was unanimous–we all loved this one.

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