Everything’s better when it’s cooked it a cast iron skillet. Don’t you agree? I always make my buttermilk cornbread in a skillet and this Carolina Skillet Cake is another excuse to pull out my skillet.
I’m pretty much obsessed with church cookbooks and that’s where I found this recipe many years ago. It’s funny how you find a recipe, put your own spin on it and over time, it becomes known as your recipe and you’re asked to bring it to every family get together.
Before we get started baking the Carolina Skillet Cake, let’s talk skillets. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can buy this one below using my affiliate link. I’ll make a little cash at no extra cost to you. It comes pre-seasoned and ready to use.
If you’ve never used a cast iron skillet before, don’t be intimidated. You just have to season it every once in a while to keep the sheen and to keep food from sticking. Click here to learn how to season a cast iron skillet.
Let’s Make Carolina Skillet Cake
As most of you know, I was born and raised in Georgia (Go Dawgs) and Georgia will always be home. After getting married, having kids, and moving to Oklahoma to continue my education, my family ended up in South Carolina and we’ve lived here for 25 years. So this Carolina Skillet Cake fits me to a tee. And I’m singing Going to Carolina in My Mind by James Taylor. Come on and sing along with me.
Mix the batter ingredients together according to the directions below.
Use a pastry blender (or a fork) to blend the topping ingredients together. Sprinkle the topping over the batter evenly.
With the rounded end of a wooden spoon or spatula, poke holes in the batter. You want some of the topping to go down deep into the cake batter.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1-3/4 cups self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º F.
- Grease and flour a 10" cast iron skillet.
- Cream shortening, gradually adding sugar, until light and fluffy (about 4-5 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Add flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla and pecans.
- Pour batter into skillet and sprinkle top with Crumble Topping.
- With the handle of a wooden spoon, make holes in the batter so that the topping will bake into the cake.
- Bake 35 minutes or until a pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool slightly and drizzle with the sugar glaze.
- To make the crumble topping, mix all the ingredients together until well blended.
- Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl and gradually add the milk and whisk until well combined. If the glaze is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If it's too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Carolina Skillet Cake one the easiest cakes you’ll ever make. Just because it’s easy, doesn’t mean it’s not delicious. This is one cake that you’ll want to make again and again. It pairs well with coffee and is the perfect ending to a rustic meal.
Don’t wait until you have company to enjoy this cake. It’s also good for Saturday breakfast or brunch.
If you like this cake, you will also like:
The Best Ever Italian Cream Cake
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About Alli
I’ve never made a cake in a skillet before, but it sounds all kinds of awesome to me. I am super excited to make this cake for my family.
Skillet cakes are fun and love to serve them out of the skillet. Great recipe with no unusual ingredients have everything already to make this cake.
This is one thing that I’ve never thought of making in my cast iron skillet. I seem to always make the same old recipes in it. Must try this Skillet Cake. Looks amazing!
Skillet baking scares me because I don’t have much luck cooking in it. Maybe I need to give it a shot!
Oh yum. I have never made a skillet cake like this before. Now I’m intrigued. This looks delicious!
It feels so pretty and rustic to serve it from the skillet. And church cookbooks are an untapped resource!
No I need to go out and get myself a skillet so I can do this! This looks so good and I do not have a skillet to make it in. I really need to make this so I am going to go buy a skillet.
Yes, everything is better when made in a cast iron skillet! I’ve never made a cake in one before. This sounds delightful.
That looks like a great cake. I’m a huge fan of my cast iron and use them all the time.
I hae never heard of a Carolina Skillet Cake but this sounds soooo delicious. I love that it’s made in a skillet. Fun & easy!
Wow, this looks good! I would like to try and make this for our next family dinner. Looks delicious!
Do you know I have never tried to make a skillet cake but what a great idea I am going to have to give this a try thankyou.
I have never had a Carolina skillet cake before. It looks like it is really tasty. I need to make it.
This is a lovely dessert idea. I think we’d have a lot of fun making our first skillet cake since it’s such a southern tradition.
This skillet cake looks amazing! This would be a perfect treat to make for my family, especially during the winter. We need something like this to keep off the chill off of us in the winter.
I have never heard of a Carolina skillet cake before but it sounds absolutely amazing. I am all about heartwarming treats this chilly holiday season.
I have never had Carolina Skillet Cake but this looks delicious and I love that you don’t have to bake it. I need to get one of those beautiful cast iron skillets!
You do have to bake it. It bakes in the skillet. 🙂
I have never used a cast iron skillet before but would be nice to own one one day. I am loving the look of this cake, it looks yummy and delicious.
This looks incredible! I made this exact same thing last year in my old Griswold pan! I was nervous at first then I remembered the almost 100 years of seasoning on the pan and I didn’t have ANY sticking whatsoever! PS – I’m from North Carolina and this is a staple!