My apple skillet cake is an easy apple cake baked right in your cast iron skillet for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
apple skillet cake is a fall classic
Who’s up for a cozy fall bake? This easy apple cake can be made in a snap with your trusty cast iron skillet, a simple batter, and a single apple! It’s so pretty with its ruffly sliced apple top that glistens with a light sprinkling of sugar. I think it’s the perfect centerpiece for a fall brunch.
We serve it with my special whipped sour cream which gives it that little extra special touch. It’s got the creamy texture of whipped cream combined with the tang of sour cream ~ genius if I do say so myself 🙂
what you’ll need for the apple skillet cake
I use my Lodge 10″cast iron skillet for this cake. Same one I use for Outrageous Almond Butter Skillet Blondies and my Asparagus Goat Cheese and Olive Frittata ~ it’s a versatile pan!
- apple
- one good sized apple should be enough to top your skillet cake. I used a Honeycrisp.
- butter
- brown sugar + a little granulated sugar for sprinkling over the top
- egg
- sour cream
- all purpose flour
- almond flour or meal
- vanilla extract
- apple pie spice
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt
This cake bakes up beautifully in the cast iron. The edges get a little bit crisp but the interior stays fluffy and moist. The cake rises up through the apple slices in spots and it makes a really pretty presentation right in the pan.
what you need for the whipped sour cream
My whipped sour cream has a thicker, richer texture than whipped cream alone, and the subtle tang is really nice with a fruit topped dessert like this apple skillet cake. You can adjust the flavor with more or less sour cream as you like.
- sour cream
- heavy cream
- confectioner’s sugar
- just a touch to lightly sweeten.
how to make whipped sour cream
Put sour cream and heavy cream (in a ratio of 1 part to 2 parts) into a deep bowl, along with a touch of powdered sugar and whip into soft peaks. It will be richer and thicker than plain whipped cream, just be careful not to over beat it.
This whipped topping holds up very well in the fridge, although you may need to give it a fresh stir before serving to loosen it up again.
what we love about this apple cake
In my experience skillet cakes can sometimes be dry and not very exciting, but not this one! I worked with the recipe to make sure the cake itself was delicious on its own, even without the apple backup. It has a nice loose texture and lightly spiced butterscotch-y flavor. It bakes up perfectly every time, and you can arrange the apples in any way you like, from fancy to rustic style.
how to cut a fruit topped cake (without wrecking the fruit!)
You’ve baked a gorgeous apple skillet cake, and now you’re ready to slice and serve it ~ but how? The slicing technique for fruit topped cakes like this is a little different from usual. First grab a very sharp knife. Angle the tip downward and use an up and down motion to poke through the apple slices, trying not to disrupt them, along the edges of your slice. You may need to steady the fruit with you fingers while you cut. Then slice all the way through your slice on both sides. It helps to let the cake cool before slicing.
if you love this apple skillet cake I think you’ll also love
- Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts ~ New York Times Recipe
- Moist Apple Brownies
- Cranberry Apple Crisp
- Apple Crisp Muffins
- Authentic Irish Apple Cake
- Honeycrisp Apple Cardamom Cake
- Apple Butter Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream
” I loved this recipe so much! it turned out BEAUTIFUL and was perfect for using leftover apples I had from picking!”
~ Cam
Apple Skillet Cake
Equipment
- 10 inch cast iron skillet Buy it here.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup sour cream (you can also use yogurt)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple pie spice, or cinnamon
- 1 good sized apple, I used Honeycrisp
- lemon juice, optional
dry ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour (or almond meal)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
topping
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
whipped sour cream, optional
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter your cast iron skillet.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get everything well incorporated.
- Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and apple pie spice until smooth and creamy.
- At this point I core and slice the apple into thin slices. Toss with a little lemon juice if you are worried about it browning. Set aside. Note: whether to peel or not is up to you. I like the little bit of red color from the peel so I leave it on.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients to get everything well blended and lump free. Fold the dry ingredients into the batter and mix just until the dry ingredients are well incorporated, but don't over mix at this point.
- Turn the batter into your prepared pan and spread out evenly.
- Arrange the apple slices over the top of the batter in any pattern you like. Sprinkle evenly with the tablespoon of granulated sugar.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden, the very center looks cooked, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter on it. Note: the toothpick may look moist, that's ok. Try not to over bake this cake.
- Let cool briefly on a rack before slicing and serving.
to make the whipped sour cream
- Whip the heavy cream, sour cream, and powdered sugar using electric beaters until the mixture thickens and creates soft peaks. Once the mixture starts to thicken slow your beaters so you don't risk over beating it.
I have only a 9″ cast iron skillet. Your recipe calls for a 10″ skillet. Will my pan still work?
Yes, that will work, your baking time might be a little longer.
When cooked, do you lift it out of the skillet to cool?
No, I serve from the skillet, and you can serve warm or cooled.
This apple cake truly is as delicious as it is beautiful. I almost didn’t want to cut into it, but so glad that I did 😉
I know…I could just sit there and stare at it and forget to eat!
This beautiful and easy to make apple skillet cake is going on my “must bake” list right now! Yummy!
I loved this recipe so much! it turned out BEAUTIFUL and was perfect for using leftover apples I had from picking!
I love how easy this dessert is! The presentation is so pretty and tastes amazing.
10/10 recommend. This was absolutely delicious and easy to make. Perfect for fall, thank you!
Can I eliminate the almond flour and just use 1 1/2 cups regular flour?
Yes, that would be fine.
I don’t have a cast iron skillet (my old arthritic hands can’t deal the weight). Can I make this in my 10″ Calphalon skillet?
As long as it can go in the oven, yes!
Want to try but need to know what size cast iron skillet
It’s a 10 inch.