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grandma bastow's skillet cake

(3 RATINGS)
1.52K Pinches 26 Photos
whatyagotcookin avatar
Cushing, OK
Updated on Apr 9, 2018

This recipe came from my husband's grandmother in Kansas. He loved it enough to ask her for the recipe and he passed it on to me so I could make it for him too. This cake is very moist and the almond flavored icing tops it off perfectly.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

If you're looking for a homemade moist chocolate cake, Grandma Bastow's is it! It's a light chocolate cake that's extremely soft. You'd never guess it was made in a cast iron skillet. The creamy frosting adds a little touch of sophistication and an extra sweet touch to an already impressive cake. The skillet is so rustic and cute, you could skip flipping it out of the pan and serve it directly from the skillet. It would make a great conversation piece for guests.

— The Test Kitchen
prep time 35 Min
cook time 45 Min
method Bake
yield 8-12 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
  • 2 - eggs, unbeaten
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • INGREDIENTS FOR FROSTING
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 5-6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (or more if needed)

How To Make grandma bastow's skillet cake

Test Kitchen Tips
In the end, we used 9 Tbsp of cream to make a spreadable frosting.
  • Step 1
    To make the cake, pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Butter and baking chocolate in a cast iron skillet.
    Step 2
    Put butter and chocolate baking squares in a 9" WELL SEASONED cast iron skillet.
  • Melting butter and chocolate in the oven.
    Step 3
    Place skillet in oven and allow butter and chocolate to melt.
  • Skillet removed from the oven.
    Step 4
    Remove skillet from oven.
  • Butter and chocolate stirred together.
    Step 5
    Stir butter and chocolate together. Set aside to cool (about 20 minutes).
  • Adding eggs to the cooled butter and chocolate.
    Step 6
    When pan has cooled, add two unbeaten eggs to chocolate/butter mixture and stir slightly with a wire whisk.
  • Flour, sugar, and baking soda sifted into a bowl.
    Step 7
    In separate bowl, sift together flour, sugar, and baking soda.
  • Slowly adding flour mixture to the pan alternating with milk.
    Step 8
    Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the chocolate mixture in the skillet stirring with wire whisk until thoroughly blended.
  • Adding vanilla to the batter.
    Step 9
    Then add the vanilla.
  • Place the cast iron pan into the oven.
    Step 10
    Place skillet in the oven and cook for 35 minutes.
  • Cooling the cake.
    Step 11
    Remove skillet from oven and place on cooling rack for 10 minutes.
  • Loosening the edges of the cake with a knife.
    Step 12
    If your skillet has not been seasoned well, the cake may stick. If it feels like it has stuck to the skillet, loosen the cake from the edges with a knife.
  • Using a spatula to loosen the bottom of the cake.
    Step 13
    Run a large spatula between the cake and the pan on the underneath side to loosen it before inverting it onto the serving platter.
  • Inverting the cake onto a plate.
    Step 14
    Invert the cake onto a serving platter and let cake cool before adding frosting (about an hour).
  • Mixing powdered sugar and butter.
    Step 15
    To make the frosting, cream one-third of the powdered sugar with the butter with electric mixer.
  • Adding vanilla extract to the frosting.
    Step 16
    Blend in vanilla and almond extract.
  • Adding two tablespoons of cream to the frosting.
    Step 17
    Add 2 tablespoons of the cream and blend well.
  • Adding remaining powdered sugar to the frosting.
    Step 18
    Add the remaining sugar to the mixture.
  • Slowly adding additional cream.
    Step 19
    Gradually add more cream.
  • Cream added until desired consistency.
    Step 20
    Continue mixing until the frosting has the desired spreading consistency.
  • Frosting the cooled cake.
    Step 21
    Spread on cooled cake.
  • Shaving chocolate over frosted cake.
    Step 22
    Shave some chocolate almond bark or chocolate candy bar onto the top of the frosting for a beautiful finish to this cake.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!

Discover More

Category: Cakes
Collection: Mom Made It Best
Method: Bake
Culture: American
Ingredient: Flour

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