Master baker of gluten-free amazingness Indea Leo shows us how to use an American-made cast iron skillet & her gluten-free yellow cake mix to make this fabulous dish for fall.
I absolutely love the fall! The crisp, sunny, autumn days in Colorado showcase the breathtaking golden aspen leaves as they pop against an evergreen background. This time of year I live for apples! I love trips to apple orchards and the farmers market for the season’s best apples in all of their glory. Honey crisp, Empire, Granny Smith… I love them all.
Another thing I love about this time of year is baking, of course! In my mind October marks the beginning, of what I like to call “baking season.” Preheat your oven and dust off your mixer! I’ve got some great recipes coming your way this fall.
As a new featured maker on Made Collection, I was inspired by the incredible Lodge cast iron skillets they offer as a part of the collection. Confession: I have whole kitchen filled with expensive stainless steel pots and pans, but the truth is I rarely use them. I do nearly all of my stove-top cooking in cast iron. From pancakes in the morning, grilled sandwiches for lunch and seared salmon for dinner, my cast iron pan is my go to. I even cook with it in my grill! So, its no wonder I was inspired to create this delicious apple spice skillet cake for my friends at Made Collection.
Although it is a simple recipe, the warming flavors of cinnamon and spice and the pop of tart apples are really spectacular. And baking in a skillet gives it a ton of rustic charm! The best part of this recipe is that you can make it any time of the year. It’s delicious served warm on a cold day for breakfast and equally appropriate to bring to a summer picnic and serve with ice cream.
Oh, did I mention that it is gluten free and can also be prepared dairy free by following the few simple substitutions listed in the ingredients? Yep, that’s right, GF & DF…. And oh so tasy!
Happy baking,
Indea
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Lillabee Apple Spice Skillet Cake:
You will need:
- One box of Lillabee Classic Yellow Cake Mix
- ¾ cup of Milk (cow, rice, almond, etc)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tb ground pumpkin pie spice blend (cinnamon,clove, nutmeg, ginger)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup + 1 Tb sugar
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- ¼ cup butter or non-dairy butter substitute
- 2 large eggs
- 2-3 tart apples (granny smith, Cortland, empire, etc.)
- 10¼” Lodge cast iron skillet
Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven 350º F.
Lightly grease cast iron skillet and set aside. Mix ¼ cup sugar with 2 tsp cinnamon and set aside. Sift Lillabee flour pack with 1 Tb pumpkin pie spice blend.
Mix cake batter as directed on the back of the Lillabee Classic Yellow Cake Mix. Once batter is mixed, measure out ¼ cup and mix with 1 Tb pumpkin pie spice blend and 1 Tb sugar. Set aside. Pour half of the remaining batter into the greased skillet. Top with dollops of the spiced batter mixture, then pour remaining batter over top. Use a knife to draw zig-zag lines through then entire skillet contents to create the swirl. Do not overmix.
Next, core and slice apples thin. Arrange on top of cake batter and generously top with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place skillet in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Use caution, as the skillet handle will be hot. Let cool, slice and enjoy!
