Skillet Strawberry Cake

A cast iron skillet bakes this cake and serves it, so cleanup is one pan. Mashed strawberries go in raw with their juices, and by the time a thin vanilla batter finishes baking around them, they have turned into a jammy layer baked right into the top.

What You’re Learning

Macerating fruit before it bakes. Mashing the strawberries with sugar before they go in the oven draws out their juice and starts breaking down their structure, so by the time the cake finishes baking, the berries have already turned jammy instead of staying raw and watery on top. It is the same idea behind a quick strawberry shortcake macerate, just baked instead of spooned.

A thin batter is a feature, not a mistake. This cake uses barely a cup of flour for four servings, so when it goes into the skillet it looks more like a thick pancake batter than cake batter. That thinness is what lets it bake through evenly in under 25 minutes and gives the mashed strawberries room to sink in instead of sliding off the top.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
• 5 ounces fresh or thawed frozen strawberries, hulled (about 1 cup)
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Method

1. Heat the oven and grease the skillet. Preheat to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch cast iron skillet (or square or round baking dish) with butter. Set aside.
2. Macerate the strawberries. Using your hands or the back of a fork, mash the strawberries to release their juices, then stir in 1/3 cup of the brown sugar. Set aside.
3. Whisk the batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, milk, and salt. Add the flour and baking powder and whisk just until smooth. Pour into the greased skillet and spread evenly to the edges, the batter will be thin.
4. Top and bake. Spoon the strawberries and all their juices over the batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Cool and serve. Let cool for 3 to 5 minutes before spooning into bowls. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

• Mash the strawberries, don’t puree them. Chunky pieces hold their shape and bake into pockets of jammy fruit instead of a wet layer.
• The batter is meant to be thin. A thin layer is what lets the strawberries sink in and bake into the cake instead of sitting on top.
• Frozen strawberries work as well as fresh. Thaw and drain off any excess liquid first for the best texture.
• Cast iron holds heat evenly and gives the edges a light crisp. A lighter metal pan bakes faster, so check it a few minutes early.
• Serve straight from the skillet while warm. Vanilla ice cream melting into the strawberry juices is the point.
• Leftovers keep covered at room temperature for a day, or refrigerated up to 3 days. Warm briefly before serving.