Iron Skillet Apple Cake

I have a sentimental longing for old things, especially old time cooking. And I love cast iron. I have wanted to learn to bake with cast iron ever since we started learning about campfire cooking. So when a friend shared a recipe link for Apple Cake in an Iron Skillet, I knew I would make it - sooner or later. And with all the apples around here, sooner was better than later.

Here is what I did (and although I am never good at following directions, I should take good advice ~ keep the pan on low!).

While melting the butter in the pan, we peeled, cored and sliced the apples into rings (the original recipe called for wedges, but I thought this would be easier). After the butter was melted, I added organic sugar.

And then the apple rings.

While the apple rings were cooking, I mixed up the cake batter. I used hard red wheat, rather than white (not so sure that was a good idea).

Then dropped it by spoonfuls onto the cooking apples.

At this point, I was glad that I used rings because it was hard to spread it around without moving the apples around (glad I didn't fuss with the apple arrangement, because I was tempted to).

And then I baked it in the oven.

Until it was done.

See those edges? That is my favorite part! Buttery and crispy apple edges are so irresistible!

But that is the only part I liked about this cake! (I should have used white flour).

So, I ran to the store to get more butter and started all over again. This time, instead of using the cake batter, I added my own crumb topping made with rolled oats, brown sugar, butter and a bit of wheat flour.

I served it straight out of that iron skillet with vanilla ice cream. Of course.

And this time, I loved every bit of it. Down to the very. last. bite.