Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Carolina Skillet Cake

Teresa Ambra

Carolina Skillet Cake is a delicious cinnamon streusel-flavored coffee cake with powdered sugar icing that is delightful served out of a cast iron skillet. Every bite is fabulous. The original recipe recommended making this in a cast iron skillet although the subsequent recipe also allows for a regular round baking pan. You can make this recipe without the powdered sugar icing, but I really like it with it.

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I keep coming across old recipes I thought I had in the electronic version of my cookbook but then realize I somehow neglected to put them in. This is one of them. This is a delicious coffee cake recipe that Martha White flour put out in the late 70s or early 80s, I think.

I only realized it wasn’t in my electronic version of  my recipes after someone else posted a recipe very similar from Martha White last week on a food blog. (Her post is here).  You will also find the exact same recipe on the Crisco website.

This recipe is so easy to put together and extremely economical. You probably have all the ingredients on hand already. If you don’t have pecans you can substitute another kind of nuts. You could also put a fruit topping on top of the cake before the crumble topping (jam or preserves, pie filling or even fresh fruit) if you like a fruitier taste. I like this cake just like it is. I  followed the recipe really closely for this cake.

If you’re looking for a tasty coffeecake recipe for country breakfasts, holiday breakfasts, or even for dinner, this scrumptious cake should be on your menu. It’s always been one of my favorite coffeecake recipes. If you’re a coffeecake lover with your coffee or tea, this luscious cake should be on your “to make” list.

When I initially posted this recipe in August 2012, right after I began my blog, my staging was okay, but the pictures were taken with an iPhone 3, so they were really not as sharp as I would have liked.

I recently remade this recipe (November 2016) for a potluck at our church where we had “breakfast for dinner!” I brought a batch Carolina Skillet Cake along with a Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Bread. I have to admit, this is still one of my favorite coffee cake recipes. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Carolina Skillet Cake is totally wonderful!

Martha White now refers to this recipe as Carolina Coffee Cake, but when it was first published it came out as Carolina Skillet Cake. That’s how I typed it into my computer in 1984!

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Carolina Skillet Cake is a great coffeecake for holiday breakfasts.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

We love this cake for breakfast. It’s so simple and easy to put together.

Here’s what I did.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

I used these ingredients for the cake layer.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

In a mixing bowl stir together sugar, Crisco shortening, eggs, salt, baking powder and half-and-half.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Cream with an electric mixer until well mixed.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Add UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens baked goods. Add chopped pecans. 

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Stir into cake mix (don’t beat)!

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Using a paper towel, dip into Crisco shortening can and apply about 1/4 to 1/2 cup shortening (a lot!) to your seasoned cast iron skillet. Don’t be stingy. Put a lot of grease in the pan so the mixture doesn’t stick or scorch on the bottom. Add flour to coat the bottom of the skillet just like you would for regular cake pans. Use a lot of flour. Make sure you tilt the sides of the pan so the flour covers the sides of the skillet and not just the bottom. Pour the batter into the skillet.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

I used these ingredients for the crumble topping.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Combine UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Sprinkle crumble topping over top of cake batter. With the bottom of a wooden spoon make indentations in the batter all the way to the bottom so the crumble mixture gets integrated into the batter. I probably made 20 or 30 pokes all over the cake in order to do this effectively. 

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Now the cake is ready to bake.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Bake 40-50 minutes at 375, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

I used these ingredients for the powdered sugar glaze.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Combine ingredients with a whisk.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

While cake is still warm, ice with powdered sugar icing. 

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Here’s what the cake looks like after adding the icing. If you use too much liquid your icing will be too thin and it will melt on the top rather than staying white like this with the icing holding its shape.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Cut cake into 12 pieces before serving.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Carolina Skillet Cake is amazing. 

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

The cinnamon streusel topping and pecans make this coffeecake so scrumptious.

Here’s the recipe.

CAROLINA SKILLET CAKE

(Recipe adapted from Martha White Flour)

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Carolina Skillet Cake

Teresa Ambra
This luscious coffeecake is filled with cinnamon and pecans and made in a cast iron skillet. It has a luscious crumble topping with more cinnamon and glazed with powdered sugar icing. This coffeecake is great for holiday breakfasts.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast Coffee Cake, Cakes and Cheesecakes, Dessert
Cuisine Southern
Servings 12
Calories 286 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 10-inch cast iron skillet or other oven-proof skillet or 10-inch round baking dish
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 small mixing bowl
  • 1 medium mixing bowl
  • 1 pastry blender

Ingredients
  

COFFEECAKE:

  • 1/3 cup Crisco shortening
  • 1 3/4 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half or milk
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup pecans or other nuts, chopped (measure after chopping)

CRUMBLE TOPPING:

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp. UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)

ICING:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp. half-and-half
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions
 

COFFEECAKE:

  • Heat oven to 375°.
  • Generously grease and flour a 10-inch iron skillet or a 10 inches round cake pan.
  • Cream shortening in a large mixing bowl; gradually add granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, baking powder, salt and milk.
  • Mix with an electric mixer until well combined.
  • Stir in flour and nuts.
  • Pour into pan and top with crumble topping.
  • Make indentations in the batter with the bottom of a wooden spoon all the way to the bottom of the pan so the topping will bake into the cake.
  • Bake 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • If desired, drizzle with powdered sugar icing.

CRUMBLE TOPPING:

  • Combine ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
  • Mix with fingertips or pastry blender.

ICING:

  • Mix ingredients with a whisk.
  • Drizzle over warm cake.

Notes

NOTE: You can substitute milk for the half-and-half, but you will have to decrease the amount used in the icing to two tablespoons (or less).
 
Recipe adapted from Martha White Flour.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 215mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 177IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 1mg
Keyword breakfast, cake, coffee cake, dessert
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

[b]Carolina Skillet Cake[/b]
Recipe Type: Breakfast Coffee Cake
Cuisine: Southern
Author: Teresa Ambra adapted from [url href=”http://www.marthawhite.com/recipes/carolina-coffee-cake-2703″ target=”_blank” title=”carolina coffee cake”]Martha White Flour[/url]
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
This luscious coffeecake is filled with cinnamon and pecans and made in a cast iron skillet. It has a luscious crumble topping with more cinnamon and glazed with powdered sugar icing. This coffeecake is great for holiday breakfasts.
Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup Crisco shortening
  • 1 ¾ cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans or nuts[br]
  • [b]CRUMBLE TOPPING:[/b][br]
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 2 tbsp. UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)[br]
  • [b]POWDERED SUGAR ICING:[/b][br]
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp. hot milk
  • ½ tsp. vanilla
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 375°.
  2. Grease and lightly dust with flour a cake pan or iron skillet, 10 inches round and 2 inches deep.
  3. Cream shortening, gradually adding sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
  5. Add flour and milk alternately.
  6. Fold in nuts.
  7. Pour into pan and top with crumble topping.
  8. Make indentations in the batter with your finger all the way to the bottom of the pan so the topping will bake into the cake.
  9. Bake 35 minutes.
  10. If desired, drizzle with powdered sugar icing.[br]
[b]CRUMBLE TOPPING:[/b][br]
  1. Combine ingredients.
  2. Mix with fingertips or pastry blender.[br]
[b]POWDERED SUGAR ICING:[/b][br]
  1. Mix ingredients with a whisk.
  2. Drizzle over warm cake.
Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Serve Carolina Skillet Cake for any kind of country breakfast. Your family will rave over this cake.

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Doesn’t Carolina Skillet Cake look marvelous?

Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

One bite of this coffeecake will have you drooling!

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Sock-It-To-Me Cake

Sock-It-To-Me Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fantastic #cake will knock your socks off! It has a lovely #pecan streusel filling in the middle & it's glazed with vanilla icing. We serve this as a #coffeecake for #breakfast or for #dessert. #Brunch #Holiday #cinnamon #HolidayBreakfast #SockItToMeCake

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this delicious #coffeecake starts with a boxed #cakemix. It's easy, lemony & absolutely mouthwatering. We serve it for #breakfast or as a #dessert. #Holiday #Lemon #poppyseeds #LemonCake #HolidayBreakfast #HolidayDessert #EasyLemonCake #LemonDessert #LemonCoffeeCake
Carolina Skillet Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this fabulous #coffeecake is baked in a cast-iron skillet & is a terrific idea for a #holiday #breakfast. We love this #cake.

Carolina Skillet Cake

Teresa Ambra
This luscious coffeecake is filled with cinnamon and pecans and made in a cast iron skillet. It has a luscious crumble topping with more cinnamon and glazed with powdered sugar icing. This coffeecake is great for holiday breakfasts.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast Coffee Cake, Cakes and Cheesecakes, Dessert
Cuisine Southern
Servings 12
Calories 286 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 10-inch cast iron skillet or other oven-proof skillet or 10-inch round baking dish
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 small mixing bowl
  • 1 medium mixing bowl
  • 1 pastry blender

Ingredients
  

COFFEECAKE:

  • 1/3 cup Crisco shortening
  • 1 3/4 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half or milk
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup pecans or other nuts, chopped (measure after chopping)

CRUMBLE TOPPING:

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp. UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)

ICING:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp. half-and-half
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions
 

COFFEECAKE:

  • Heat oven to 375°.
  • Generously grease and flour a 10-inch iron skillet or a 10 inches round cake pan.
  • Cream shortening in a large mixing bowl; gradually add granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, baking powder, salt and milk.
  • Mix with an electric mixer until well combined.
  • Stir in flour and nuts.
  • Pour into pan and top with crumble topping.
  • Make indentations in the batter with the bottom of a wooden spoon all the way to the bottom of the pan so the topping will bake into the cake.
  • Bake 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • If desired, drizzle with powdered sugar icing.

CRUMBLE TOPPING:

  • Combine ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
  • Mix with fingertips or pastry blender.

ICING:

  • Mix ingredients with a whisk.
  • Drizzle over warm cake.

Notes

NOTE: You can substitute milk for the half-and-half, but you will have to decrease the amount used in the icing to two tablespoons (or less).
 
Recipe adapted from Martha White Flour.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 215mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 177IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 1mg
Keyword breakfast, cake, coffee cake, dessert
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

22 Comments

  • Pat

    July 18, 2017 at 5:11 pm

    so happy to find this recipe once again…You showed how to mix it well, thank you for that….I made this every Sat. when my kids were small…They always looked forward to breakfast of their Carolina skillet cake…Thought of it so often, now after 30 some years, it is time to make it again…Thank you so much….

    1. Teresa

      July 19, 2017 at 8:08 pm

      Thanks, Pat. We’ve always enjoyed this tasty coffeecake too. Thanks for stopping by and letting me know.

      1. Robin dixon

        April 5, 2020 at 2:05 pm

        Dec 1979 better homes and gardens Magazine
        Recipe for Carolina skillet cake
        I cut this recipe from the magazine later that summer
        And I have baked it for many years
        The original recipe says milk not half and half

        1. Teresa

          April 6, 2020 at 7:54 am

          Hi, Robin. That’s correct. I almost always change out milk or water in cake recipes for half-and-half or cream. Makes the recipe creamier and richer. Have a great week!

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    1. Robin dixon

      April 5, 2020 at 2:03 pm

      Dec 1979 better homes and gardens
      Recipe for Carolina skillet cake
      I cut this recipe from the magazine later that summer
      And I have baked it for many years
      The original recipe says milk not half and half

      1. Teresa

        April 6, 2020 at 7:55 am

        Thanks, Robin. We’ve always enjoyed this delicious recipe. Yes, I substitute cream or half-and-half for the milk in the recipe to make it richer tasting. Love it!

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  • Laura M

    May 17, 2013 at 1:41 am

    Hey Teresa! do you think this could be made in a 9X13 pan?

    1. Teresa

      May 17, 2013 at 6:32 am

      Sure. The novelty is baking it with a cast iron skillet. I’m not sure the ingredients are quite enough for a 9×13″ dish, though. You may have to use a 9×9″ baking dish instead. Otherwise it might be too flat. Also adjust your cooking time. It may be more or less than the original recipe.

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  • gingy55

    August 18, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    I made ‘my’ rendition of your Carolina Skillet Cake. I’m working on getting it on my blog and as soon as I post it I’m sure you’ll enjoy seeing what I’ve done. Thanks so much for sharing it. <3

  • findingyourblessings

    August 18, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    Reblogged this on God does reassemble shattered pieces and commented:
    Wow does this ever look amazing! Thanks Teresa!

  • rachturner

    August 17, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    This looks GREAT!! I definitely have to try it.

    1. Teresa

      August 17, 2012 at 2:15 pm

      It really is quite delicious for very little effort. Very economical, too.

      Sent from my iPhone

  • puppybuzz

    August 16, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    Wow! This sounds wonderful and filling. Good thing it is still too hot to cook… bet then again I looked at that picture – lets see, I need to go buy some nuts but my skillet is nice and clean and ready for me.

    1. Teresa

      August 16, 2012 at 8:42 pm

      Go for it! I love this simple & quick recipe.

      Sent from my iPhone

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