In which we utilize a recipe originally published in the New York Times and featured in The Essential New York Times Cookbook to create an old-school knock-your-socks-off breakfast or brunch cake. This one is perfect in cast iron, easily grillified over charcoal, and screaming for maple syrup!
Spider Cake, Spider Cake, does whatever a Spider Cake can
Feeds a family, any size, it’s addictive, just like fries
Look out, here comes the Spider Cake!
This delicious skillet cake is soooooo simple to make and a snap to clean up. Total time is about an hour. This one works perfect in the Lodge Combo Cooker but any 10 inchish oven-safe skillet will get the job done. Ingredients are as follows:
- 2 cups milk
- 4 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
You will end up with a deliciously browned skillet cake with a jiggly and nearly custard-like center. It is bomber so go ahead and preheat your oven or grill to 350˚. Then let’s get started!
The first thing you want to do is add the milk and vinegar together and set it aside. The vinegar will sour the milk causing the texture to turn almost into curds. If you look closely at the picture you can see this on the surface of the milk.
While that is doing its thing simply combine all of the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Yes – we said it was easy.
Melt some butter in a 10″ cast iron skillet on your heated grill or on the stovetop. While this is melting whisk your eggs into your milk and add the liquid into the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly but do not overmix. A couple lumps are par for the course when doing a classic skillet cake like this!
Pour your batter over the melted butter. Then pour the cup of cream into the center of the batter. Slide the cast iron into your preheated oven or place it onto your preheated grill and cover. Bake this one about 45 minutes and use a toothpick to check for doneness. Typically you want a toothpick to pull out cleanly but with this one don’t be alarmed if it is still a bit soft and jiggly in the middle. The custard-like texture is decadent
Finally, allow to cool for a couple of minutes and serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with maple syrup! This one is super delicious so be prepared to be asked to make it again, and again…. and again!
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