Featured Recipe
Vanilla Skillet Cake
By Kate
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A quick, simple vanilla cake baked in a skillet. Uses all-purpose flour and baking powder combined with butter, sugar, and egg. Vanilla extract swapped for almond extract for a nutty aroma. Milk replaced by half plain yogurt for moisture and tang. Baked around 35 minutes; tactile cues guide readiness. The method flips usual mixing and baking steps. Cake cools inverted atop the skillet, making for easy release. A technique swap aside, the fundamentals remain: creaming butter and sugar, folding, alternating wet and dry. A practical twist, avoiding specialized pans. Easy substitutions outlined, troubleshooting typical pitfalls like dense crumb or sticking. Reliable for unsweetened, simple dessert needs. Savory twist suggested for advanced cooks.
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Prep:
10 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
45 min
Serves:
6 servings
cake
skillet
baking
dessert
home cooking
Introduction
No fuss vanilla cake but not as you know it. Skillet baking, not pan, means better crust and even rising but you must butter and flour well. Creaming the butter and sugar is where lightness starts, if you skimp here you’ll regret later. Almond extract swaps vanilla because it’s less common, nutty, and plays well with the yogurt’s tang. Yogurt instead of milk thickens the body, adds moisture without runny batter. Mix carefully, folding in dry ingredients avoids gluten overload, which means no toughness in bite. Oven cues are your guide—watch color, poke the cake, springy center, not just timer. Cooling inverted is a chef’s trick to keep cake moist but with firm crust. Basic ingredients with a subtle twist. No gimmicks. Only fundamentals you rely on.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Butter softened, not melted, is critical to trap air during creaming. Sugar amount reduced slightly to counter yogurt’s mild tang. Plain yogurt chosen to balance texture and acidity, replace the milk you might lack or want to enrich. Baking powder quantity increased a notch to balance heavier batter from yogurt. Almond extract introduces a faintly toasted aroma instead of vanilla’s floral note, good when vanilla extract goes missing or you want less familiar taste. Flour sifted with baking powder ensures even leavening, no clumps forming dense pockets. White sugar used for neutral sweetness; brown sugar will change flavor and texture noticeably. Adjust sugar slightly if substituting dairy or non-dairy yogurt for moisture content differences.
Method
Technique Tips
Butter and flour skillet thoroughly, do not rely on spray or skip this step—cake sticking is a common failure here. Crema butter and sugar until pale and aerated, min 3 minutes at medium-high speed; anything less results in denser crumb. Incorporate egg and extract fully without overbeating, which can break emulsions and ruin texture. Alternate dry flour mix with yogurt in thirds, fold with rubber spatula gently; mixing post-flour addition ruins texture by developing gluten. Batter consistency should be pourable but thick, soft spatula scoop. Baking time is approximate: sensory cues are paramount—golden edges, slightly cracked top, springs back when lightly touched, and toothpick test. Don’t rush removing from oven, residual heat finishes bake. Cool cake upside down on wired rack with skillet in place to trap steam, supports crumb with crisp crust. Not doing so risks broken crust, soggy edges. Can be dusted with sugar or served with fruit for bright contrast but straightforward works as a blank canvas.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Butter softened, critical for aeration. Cream till pale, at least three minutes. Not enough air means a denser cake. Watch for fluffiness. Milk for yogurt adjustment? Moisture balance changes.
- 💡 Sifting flour with baking powder? Avoid lumps. Making batter lighter. Clumps mean dense bites. Measure accurately too. Don’t forget butter flour pan. No sticking mess means better release.
- 💡 Baking time isn’t just a clock watch. Look for golden edges. Gently press center. Should spring back. Toothpick test, that’s key. If moist, longer bake, but no overbake too.
- 💡 Common mistakes? Overmixing post-flour means gluten tough. Cake may sink or come out gummy. Rainbow of baking issues—know them. Be cautious with too-cold ingredients.
- 💡 Inverted cooling? It traps steam, keeps edges firm. Prevents sogginess too. Easy fix for moisture on top. If edges burn, lower rack next time, you’ll save it.
