Easy Home Cooking Recipes

Old Fashioned Apple Skillet Cake

Old Fashioned Apple Skillet Cake

Sharing is caring!

This old fashioned apple skillet cake is simple, sweet and delicious! A lightly sweet cake batter topped with apples simmered in cider will be a new comfort food staple. Made with basic ingredients and hot out of the oven in only an hour, you’ll enjoy this cake all year long.

Red and Green apples on cutting board

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure HERE.

Is there any flavor more comforting than warm apple and cinnamon? I just don’t think there is. Cinnamon is hands down my favorite spice and I like it in every application. I like it in candles, in oatmeal, sweetened with apples and pumpkin in the fall, even in savory dishes like butternut squash soup and chili. Yes I’m from the midwest and if you’ve never heard of Cincinnati chili, you’ll have to try it! Check out this from scratch version from Madeline at Akin for the Simple Life here.

But back to our apple cake, I love all things cinnamon. I love that classic combination of apple and cinnamon which you just can’t go wrong with. I particularly like to make this from scratch recipe in the late winter months when the weather can be quite dreary. This old fashioned apple skillet cake is perfect to pair with a roast on a cold Sunday afternoon. The cake batter is just slightly sweet so it also makes a great companion to a hot cup of tea or coffee!

Apples on cutting board

What do I need to make an old fashioned apple skillet cake?

  • 8″ seasoned cast iron skillet (8″ is important to get a nice moist apple cake)
  • 4-5 Apples
  • Brown Sugar
  • Apple Cider (or apple juice)
  • Apple Pie Spice
  • Milk
  • Flour
  • White Sugar
  • Salt
  • Egg
  • Butter
  • Baking soda
  • Turbinado sugar (optional)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure HERE

Can you make cake in a cast iron skillet?

Yes you can! If you’ve ever baked cornbread in a cast iron skillet you know it creates a delicious crispy texture on the bottom of the cake. The cast iron retains heat very well and cake batter will cook evenly all the way through. It is a very beginner friendly cake pan for that reason. The difference between cast iron cakes and cakes cooked in glass or non-stick pans is the texture. That crisp edge creates a very rustic feel which is perfect for cornbread.

This old fashioned apple skillet cake is no different. The apples and cider mixture give the top a spicy tart texture and keep the batter from drying out. The bottom layer is a light vanilla cake that is lightly sweetened. The crisp edges complement this simple from scratch recipe perfectly!

measuring cup of sugar and teaspoon of cinnamon

What are the best apples for apple cake?

The best apples for apple cake are a variety that will soften as it cooks. Unlike apple pie, the texture of this cake is pretty light and cooks quickly so an apple that softens fits the texture better than a firmer fruit. From there you can choose a sweeter or more tart variety, or combine the two. Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Fugi and Braeburn apples tend to soften as they cook and are perfect for this recipe.

But just about any apple will do well in this recipe. Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp are what I used for this recipe. They are a mix of sweet and tart flavors and they usually retain their firmness well.

sliced and peeled apples

How do you cut apples for apple cake?

For this old fashioned apple cake it is best to peel and slice the apples based on the variety. If you use a softer variety slicing into thick pieces like you would for an apple pie will work perfectly. If you use a firmer apple like I did, you will want to slice thinner.

I sliced my apples a little too thick as you can see below and they were a little more crunchy after baking. Just be careful not to slice your apples too thin as they could burn or over cook in the oven.

apples and brown sugar in bowl

How do you keep a cake from sticking to a cast iron skillet?

Cast iron is such a great cooking material, once you know how to use it correctly. A well seasoned cast iron skillet is more non-stick than coated cooking wear in my experience. The trick is to add heat and oil to the pan before adding food. This apple skillet cake recipe requires that you rub the skillet with butter before adding in the batter.

apple cake in skillet

For a cake you can heat the skillet in your oven as it preheats. Once you pour the batter into the pan you will hear it sizzle and this will create an even more pronounced crisp to the bottom of you cake. Or you can simply add the batter to a room temperature well buttered skillet for a softer more traditional cake texture.

How do you store old fashioned apple skillet cake?

Like most baked goods this apple cake should be stored in the refrigerator for maximum longevity. The fruit and cider mixture on the top of the cake can quickly develop mold if left at room temperature. You can store the cake at room temperature overnight if needed, but cover tightly. This method will only keep your apple cake fresh for a day or two at most.

old fashioned apple skillet cake

Recipe Variations

This skillet cake recipe is super versatile and can be adjusted to meet your dietary needs or taste. Some ideas are to swap the vanilla for maple extract or maple syrup. You could also swap apples for pears or combine the two. If apple cider is not in season you could easily swap the cider for apple juice.

slice of apple cake on a plate

In addition you could serve this apple skillet cake with vanilla ice cream, top with a maple cinnamon glaze, or a warm custard sauce. The possibilities are endless!

apple cake in cast iron skillet

Old Fashioned Apple Skillet Cake From Scratch

Blue Silo Road
This old fashioned apple skillet cake is a simple and timeless recipe that combines all of the sweetness of fresh picked apples and the warmth of mom's kitchen. Perfect for enjoying as dessert, with your morning coffee or a treat anytime of day.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 332 kcal

Ingredients
  

Apples

  • 4-5 Apples peeled and sliced
  • 1/3 cup of brown sugar
  • 3 T boiled cider
  • 1 t apple pie spice
  • 1/4 t salt

Cake Batter

  • 1 and 1/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 and 1/2t baking powder
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 2/3 cup warm milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 T melted butter
  • 1 t vanilla

Instructions
 

  • Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
  • Butter an 8” iron skillet and heat to medium heat.
  • While the skillet is heating up mix the sliced apples with the sugar, cider, spices and salt. Set aside.
  • Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Separately whisk together milk, egg, butter and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.
  • Pour the batter into the skillet.
  • Spoon the apple mixture over the batter. Distribute the apples more heavily to the edges, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

Add additional flavor to this recipe with my cinnamon maple glaze or serve as it is with vanilla bean ice cream!
Keyword Old fashioned apple skillet cake from scratch; Ap

Join the neighborhood...

Get more home cooking and casual living inspiration from our family farm.