Old Fashioned Sugar Cake-made in a cast iron skillet, no icing needed for this light and flavorful cake!
I love my cast iron. Some of it I’ve had for years. When we used to go camping, there was nothing better than cooking over the fire in my cast iron skillet. Everything tasted…better. Especially breakfast. Maybe it was hunger. Maybe it was sleeping in the fresh air. I personally think it was the seasoned cast iron, or maybe it was the bacon grease. After all, bacon makes everything taste amazing.
These days, cast iron cookware can be hard to find. I know I can buy it new online, but a seasoned, well cared for skillet, it’s a treasure. Whenever I go to the flea market, or a yard sale, I keep my eye out for cast iron. You never know when you’ll find a piece for just a few dollars. I grab it up. Even if I already have one the exact same size. After all, I’ve got 3 kids. One day, they’ll move out and need cookware of their own. I’ll want them to have the pleasure of using cast iron too.
The great thing about cast iron? You can use it anywhere and everywhere. Camping over an open fire, on the grill, on the stove top and in the oven. Especially in the Oven! Baking in cast iron is the bomb! You treat it just like any other baking dish. Cast iron will bake your cakes evenly. And outside of the cake, the part that touches the pan, it’s delicious! Just as moist as the very center.
This cake is perfect for baking in a cast iron skillet.
I just can’t say enough how amazing this cake is. Made with egg whites only, it’s light like an angel food cake but with a nice crumb. It was melt in your mouth delicious still slightly warm from the oven. But I think it might have been even better the next morning with my coffee.
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You can also bake this in 10 inch casserole dish or a 10 inch baking pan.
recipe source ChocolateChocolateandmore.comOld Fashioned Sugar Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
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Nettie says
June 2, 2014 at 10:24 pmYour cake looks wonderful! I have those same dishes, love them! Nettie
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says
June 2, 2014 at 10:58 pmI love my cast iron as well but I do not use it nearly enough. I have actually never tried using it for a cake before. I need to attempt this! Looks great!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
June 3, 2014 at 1:35 amI love baking in a skillet and this cake looks nothing short of amazing!
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
June 3, 2014 at 9:25 amoh my goodness! I love that you baked this cake in a cast iron skillet! can’t wait to try this! looks so elegant and delicious!
Paula says
June 3, 2014 at 9:54 amI’ve never heard of a Sugar Cake, Joan, but I sure like the looks of it! Plus, I totally agree, love cooking in cast iron! Pinned!
Bee-Gee says
June 3, 2014 at 10:56 amA question….My grand mother made what she called fry bread in a cast iron skillet on the stove. It was a recipe my grand dad had used when he cooked on a chuck wagon as a young man. No one else in the family made it. It was white and had dark spots on it as she turned it like a pancake, but it filled the whole skillet. Is there a receipt for this?
Joan Hayes says
June 3, 2014 at 11:07 pmI have a friend that used to make Indian Fried Bread, it sounds like what your describing, I’ll see if I can get the recipe from her and post it.
Ky girl says
July 6, 2014 at 1:59 pmI just wanted to share with Bee-Gee I have had fried bread all my life but, we have a very simple way of making it. We just take how ever much flour u want for how much u r wanting to make and add milk or water either one will work. And mix it till u have a batter that looks just like pancake batter then just make it like pancakes. Very simple make sure u have oil in ur pan when frying not a lot but enough to not stick and it helps with the flavor also. Hope u enjoy.
PS says
July 7, 2014 at 10:47 amI’m not sure if this is what you are talking about, but I have heard it called “fry bread”. We call it “Ho Cake” for some reason.
Mix 1 1/2 cups self rising flour with 3/4 cup milk. Scoop out into a plate that is covered with about 1/4 cup flour. Fold over a few times until the dough is not sticky. Flatten out about the size of the plate.
Heat an iron skillet and melt about 3 tablespoons of margarine or butter in it. Place dough in skillet, cover and cook over medium heat until brown and crunchy on bottom. Turn to other side and cook. (when I pick it up to turn over, I like to melt more margarine in pan so other side will be crunchy and buttery) When this side is brown, it is ready to eat!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
June 3, 2014 at 5:39 pmI looove cast iron skillets! This cake is so beautiful and simple and I love how delicate and light and perfectly sweet it looks!
Dani Meyer says
June 4, 2014 at 12:14 amOh Joan this looks so good! We love cast iron in this house too! So glad that Grace is doing so well we have been praying for you all.
xoxo
odian levy (@odianthewriter) says
June 4, 2014 at 6:42 pmi made some substitutions and it turned out good. Instead of Vegetable Shorting I used the same amount in Coconut Oil, I also used Almond Milk instead of real milk, and I used nutella for frosting. It was a real treat for my family 😀
Susan says
June 5, 2014 at 7:59 amCoconut Oil….great idea!
dominique says
March 12, 2015 at 8:12 amDid the coconutut oil change the texture/taste much?:)
Beverly says
July 6, 2014 at 1:44 pmCan real butter be used instead of veg shortning?
Joan Hayes says
July 7, 2014 at 12:33 pmYes it can but it will change the taste and the texture of the cake. Still yummy but of course you’ll have a buttery taste and your cake will not be as airy and fluffy.
Mandee Thomas says
June 4, 2014 at 8:42 pmVisiting from the “Wake Up Wednesdays” link party. This looks delicious! I’ve never baked in a skillet before.
Kathy says
June 6, 2014 at 1:06 pmShould the egg whites be beaten stiff before mixing into the batter? That’s what I’ve always done for Angel Food cake.
Joan Hayes says
June 6, 2014 at 5:43 pmNo need to beat the egg whites before adding. I know you normally have to do that for angel food but not for this cake. Enjoy!
Makita says
June 10, 2014 at 12:26 amIf there is a Cracker Barrel near you, their store sales the cast iron.
CJ1229 says
June 26, 2015 at 6:39 amI was just thinking I need a cast iron pan! Thank you for the suggestion because there is a Cracker Barrel near me! I suppose their cast iron pan is not “seasoned” as noted earlier. I suppose I have years to season it.
heather r says
June 10, 2014 at 4:17 pmI love my cast iron, too, but make sure you do NOT use it on a smooth top/glass top range! Besides the issue of using such a heavy pan on this kind of range (even a very small “drop” could have disastrous consequences!), cast iron can easily scratch these ranges, and even the oils on the bottom of the pan can damage smooth tops.
Joan Hayes says
June 13, 2014 at 9:04 amSo true, thanks for the reminder!
PS says
July 7, 2014 at 10:38 amMy glasstop stove is about 15 years old and I have always used my cast iron….of course, I am very careful not to drop it, but have not had any other problems.
Kris says
October 11, 2014 at 8:37 pmI use Lodge cast iron on my glass top stove ALL of the time and it’s perfectly fine. In fact, in my manual it even says it’s okay. As long as the bottom is flat and you’re careful moving it around you should be fine. It cooks amazing, even on glass top…………I would never give up my cast iron!!!
Kelley @Miss Information Blog says
June 11, 2014 at 11:20 amI love how simple this is and would go great with any flavor of ice cream!
jeannette says
July 9, 2014 at 11:22 pmI made this tonight, and it was wonderful. I wanted a light cake to make a summer time dessert, and this fit the bill perfectly. I topped it with a Lemon curd/mascarpone/whipped cream concoction that was really REALLY good, and some fresh blueberries to serve after a fancy pants dinner and it got rave reviews. Thank you for the recipe. A true keeper!
Joan Hayes says
July 11, 2014 at 11:42 pmSo glad you enjoyed it, I love the whipped lemon curd and blueberry additions, the perfect complement to this cake!
mary says
July 12, 2014 at 9:27 amMade this last night came out great although it had a cornbread taste to it lol they loved it as they couldn’t tell if it wascake or very sweet cornbread
Andi says
July 20, 2014 at 8:42 pmI have made your Old Fashion Sugar Cake and loved it! I added whipped cream with some blueberries on top. I have it posted on my blog………..thewednesdaybaker.blogspot.com Thanks Joan for another great recipe. I enjoy baking with my cast iron Come over and check it out Andi
janpat says
August 5, 2014 at 2:48 pmI want to make this cake as a sort of sponge cake for my shortcakes but I don’t have a cast iron pan. Could you suggest any other pan in the place of the cast iron?
Joan Hayes says
August 5, 2014 at 11:06 pmYou an make this in either a 9 inch cake pan or use a round casserole dish.
JoAnn says
August 22, 2014 at 11:24 pmI just made this tonight. It was so good! Tasted kinda like a cake donut or a funnel cake with the powdered sugar on top. Turned out perfectly in the cast iron. I was afraid it would stick but it didn’t at all!
Joan Hayes says
August 23, 2014 at 8:28 amSo glad you enjoyed it. Cast Iron is amazing to bake in!
SandraG says
September 25, 2014 at 3:43 pmLove my cast irons skillets. I have no idea how old they are. They make the best pineapple upside down cake ever because you can caramelize the sugars before you pour in the batter. This is the way my Grandma made hers. Will try your sugar cake, looks yummy.
Kellie says
September 29, 2014 at 12:36 pmHas anybody cooked this in a baking pan? Any advice for giving a baking pan a try? Thanks!
Joan Hayes says
October 1, 2014 at 10:39 pmI’ve also made it in a 9 inch round cake pan, it works just fine. You can turn it out onto a cake plate to serve if you like.
Amy R. says
October 25, 2014 at 3:05 pmHi. Do I grease the baking pan?
Joan Hayes says
October 25, 2014 at 8:43 pmYes, grease and flour your baking pan.
angela carrillo says
October 6, 2014 at 4:32 pmCan this be made using whole eggs instead of egg whites?
Joan Hayes says
October 7, 2014 at 7:39 amYes it can but using the egg yolks will make a denser cake.
Ann says
October 17, 2014 at 7:02 amHi Joan. Can I use “egg beaters” egg whites?
Joan Hayes says
October 20, 2014 at 9:25 amI’ve never used Egg Beaters but I don’t see why not if they will froth up like regular egg whites.
Rust says
November 24, 2014 at 5:17 pmI owe you many thanks for this cake recipe. At this very moment I am sitting in the kitchen waiting for my umpteenth one to come out of the oven. I’ve made more than I can count since I found your recipe and we just love this simple cake — and the neighbors do too! It’s going to be one of my holiday giveaways this year …thanks to you! 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving!
Joan Hayes says
November 25, 2014 at 10:51 pmSo glad you’re enjoying it. It’s one of my favorites!
Erin says
December 3, 2014 at 12:32 pmthoughts on adding choc chips?
Joan Hayes says
December 4, 2014 at 10:27 amBrilliant!
Annette Roberts says
January 28, 2015 at 8:55 pmI don’t have a cast iron skillet. Could a cake pan be used instead? This looks delicious!!
Joan Hayes says
January 29, 2015 at 7:49 pmYes, you can use a 9 inch cake pan.
Karen Harter says
February 3, 2015 at 11:46 amJust an FYI….Cracker Barrel carries a nice line of cast iron cook and bakeware .
Joan Hayes says
February 3, 2015 at 8:44 pmThanks for the tip!
Ellen says
February 8, 2015 at 12:37 amHi there, my question is about the flour. Is the extra 2 T supposed to go in the batter or is it for flouring the pan?
Joan Hayes says
February 10, 2015 at 6:56 amThe 2 Tablespoons of flour goes in the batter with the 2 cups.
Susie B. says
February 13, 2015 at 8:11 pmAlthough my skillet hasn’t seen cornbread for at least 30 years, my cake had the cornbread consistency and even a bit of a taste of it. It’s also crunchy with sugar.
Should I have creamed the sugar & shortening (actually, I used butter), vs. milk & shortening.
Did I not blend it long enough?
Joan Hayes says
February 14, 2015 at 10:16 pmSounds like you might need to re-season your skillet if your cake tasted like cornbread. As for the consistency, this cake should be light and airy, even using butter instead of the shortening.
Melissa says
July 9, 2015 at 11:35 pmI just made this cake and it reminded me of cornbread, too. I did not care for it but my husband did.
Judy Avery says
February 17, 2015 at 9:07 pmI just took this beautiful cake out of my oven and my whole house smells like heaven! Everybody’s mouths are watering while we wait for it to cool. I know this will be a go to for simple elegance in any situation. p.s. smells like my beautiful grandma’s house…thanks!
Sarah says
February 24, 2015 at 1:00 pmHi! I was wondering – can I make this as cupcakes? I’m making some things for a bake sale and want to use this recipe but wanted to do cupcakes. Thanks!
Joan Hayes says
February 28, 2015 at 9:56 pmSure you can make cupcakes, I’d start checking them at about 20-25 minutes, use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Marla Giek says
March 12, 2015 at 6:33 pmdo the egg whites need to be beaten and fluffy before you add them to the rest of the batter?
Joan Hayes says
April 2, 2015 at 9:13 pmNo need to beat the egg whites before adding to the batter. Just add them last.
Zooze says
March 29, 2015 at 7:45 amHi Joan,
Love your blog!
Cake looks amazing…am trying it out now, I am using real butter but just wanted to know for future reference, would oil work?
Also, you don’t beat the egg whites first, right?
Haven’t got a cast iron cake tin, but do have some dutch ovens we use for camping! 🙂
Zooze Marie xx
Zooze says
March 29, 2015 at 8:05 amPinned! 🙂
Love,
Zooze Marie xx
Zooze says
March 30, 2015 at 1:53 amBack again..haha
Cake turned out beautifully! So moist and delicious! Disappeared in minutes!
Thank you!! xx
Sydnie says
April 16, 2015 at 7:00 pmIf you were cooking this while camping, could you cover with tin foil over fire? Or bake uncovered in a propane grill? How long would you cook it? This would be a great addition to our camping recipes!!!
Joan Hayes says
May 3, 2015 at 8:26 pmI’m not a camper so not sure what to tell you although I have seen some great cakes made in a dutch oven over an open fire.
Arlene says
April 21, 2015 at 10:08 pmHello Joan,
I don’t have a cast iron skillet. What can I use to make this cake?
Joan Hayes says
May 3, 2015 at 8:24 pmYou can make this in a 9 inch cake pan (as long as it has tall (2 inch) sides or in a casserole dish.
Malkaone says
April 27, 2015 at 11:06 pmThis was delicious, thank you! Tender and light, perfect crust. I do love cast iron! I hadn’t worked much with shortening before, and the milk was splashing everywhere, so I “tented” my mixing bowl while creaming the milk/shortening. I’m going to try flavoring this cake as many ways as I can: spice, cocoa, almond, liqueurs…..this seems like a really versatile cake!
Joan Hayes says
May 1, 2015 at 7:43 amAll those flavors sound great! This is one of my favorite cakes just because it’s made in a cast iron skillet!
Maggie P says
May 2, 2015 at 4:57 pmThis cake looks great and I can’t wait to try it, but what really caught my eye are your plates. This is the same pattern of my grandmother’s dishes. I was wondering if you know the maker and/or the pattern. I would really love to get a few pieces of my own.
Joan Hayes says
May 3, 2015 at 8:18 pmGlad you like the cake. As for the plates, I found them at a flea market, a great find! They are Blue Fiord Ironstone from Wood & Sons, England. Hope you have luck finding some of your own.
Lindy says
May 19, 2015 at 9:31 pmI have been thinking of baking this cake for months and I finally did it. It was amazing with strawberries and whipped topping. It was so fun baking it in my new oven and my cast iron skillet. I am going to make this a tradition every strawberry season and I am going to call it grandma’s old fashioned sugar cake. I have 5 little grandchildren and I want them to remember their grandma’s wonderful cake. Thanks for this recipe.
Joan Hayes says
May 29, 2015 at 9:51 amSounds like a great tradition to start and will provide beautiful memories for your grandkids!
Kim says
May 25, 2015 at 4:35 pmdo you take the sugar cake out of the skillet to cool or leave it in it. Won’t it burn if you leave it in ,thanks. ide really like to make this but I just wanted to touch base on this with you first
Joan Hayes says
May 27, 2015 at 7:40 amI leave the cake in the skillet to cool. If serving it warm, you do need to be careful not to touch the hot skillet or it could burn you.
linda mooren says
September 1, 2015 at 3:33 pmDo you beat egg whites first?
Joan Hayes says
September 10, 2015 at 12:34 pmNo, you don’t beat the egg whites first. Just add them as you would full eggs (whites and yolk) to the cake batter. Enjoy!