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seasonal skillet pound cake

cast iron pound cake

Megan
this seasonal cast iron pound cake is a deliciously sweet and buttery cake with fresh seasonal fruit and a crunchy sugar topping. endlessly adaptable and the perfect casual dessert for any season and any reason!
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • 10" or larger cast iron skillet
  • zester
  • stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • medium flexible spatula
  • foil

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp (14g) butter for greasing the cast iron skillet
  • 1 c (125g) all purpose flour
  • 1 c (125g) cake flour see notes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ c (300g) super fine granulated sugar
  • zest of one medium lemon
  • 1 c (226g) unsalted European butter, room temperature see notes
  • 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract
  • 3 (171g) large eggs, room temperature
  • ¾ c (180g) full fat sour cream sub with full fat greek yogurt
  • 2 c fresh seasonal fruit
  • 2-3 tsp (25-38g) sugar for topping

Instructions
 

  • Lightly grease a 10" (25cm) or larger cast iron skillet.
    Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Move an oven rack to the lower ⅓ of the oven (right under the middle rack level).
  • Whisk together flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 
    If using regular granulated sugar, process sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds (or use superfine or caster sugar as normal). This is optional, but helps with the overall outcome of the cake.
  • Pour the sugar into a small mixing bowl. Zest the lemon into the sugar.
    Using your hands, a small spoon or whisk, work the sugar and zest together until a wet, sand like texture forms. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat/cream butter on low for 1 minute.
    Increase to medium speed for 4-6 additional minutes, until butter is light and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Once butter is light and fluffy, beat butter with the sugar by slowly streaming in sugar. This whole step should take 1-2 minutes.
    Once all the sugar has been added, beat/cream the sugar and butter together for an additional minute. Sugar should be mostly dissolved into the butter at this point.
  • Slowly add eggs to the butter and sugar. Add one egg at a time, beating on low until it fully incorporates before adding the next.
    Beat an addtional minute on medium speed. Switch to a large spatula, or spoon. The next steps will be done by hand.
  • Fold in dry ingredients and sour cream to the wet ingredients in this order: dry, sour cream, dry, sour cream, dry. Fold each part about 90% into the wet ingredients before adding the next.
    Fold all ingredients in the batter togther until smooth and well combined. 
  • Gently scoop the batter into the prepared cast iron skillet. Using a small offset spatula or spoon, level and smooth the batter into the corners and across the pan.
  • Top the cake with fresh seasonal fruit of choice. Gently press the fruit into top of the cake. Sprinkle additional sugar if desired.
  • Bake at 350F (177C) for 60-75 minutes ( in the lower ⅓ of the oven). Check the top. It should be golden, but not burned. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover with a foil tent. For me, this happened around the 30-35 minute mark.
    Return to the oven for 25-35 minutes, checking for doneness every 10 minutes (60-75 minutes total). When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, its done. 
    Cool in pan for 30 minutes or until the pan is cool enough to touch. Serve warm with ice cream or freshly whipped cream right away or cool until completely room temperature.

Notes

diy cake flour: for 1 c (120-125g) cake flour, remove 2 tablespoon (15g) all purpose flour from the 1 c all purpose flour. replace the 2 tablespoon with an equal amount of corn starch. sift the new mixture together 3-4 times to fully blend together. 
superfine sugar: my grocery store sells granulated sugar as “super fine” sugar. this is very close in size and texture to “caster sugar.” I prefer using this sugar when making meringues or pound cake. the sugar dissolves more easily and creates a nicer texture overall. use a finer sugar if available, if not, a few seconds in a food processors gets the sugar there!
European butter: is typically churned longer than American butter, European butter has between 82 and 85 percent butterfat. It has a richer taste, softer texture, and is brighter yellow in color than its American counterpart.
 
  • This butter can be found at all major grocery stores. Some of my favorite brands are: Kerrygold, Danish Creamery, and Central Market (Texas)
Keyword blueberry and peach cake, buttery pound cake, cast iron pound cake, skillet pound cake
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