Skillet Cake

This cake recipe is brilliant on so many levels... It's completely unfussy and there's no greasing and flouring pans or need for parchment paper; it's dairy-free so no cholesterol and vegan friendly; everything is mixed right in the baking pan, so no mixer or whisk needed--just a fork.

I spotted the recipe in the Penzey's catalogue and I'm so glad that I did. It's delicious--a regular old-fashioned chocolate cake that's light and really moist. I've always thought that white icing on chocolate cake is pretty, so I made a simple frosting of powdered sugar and (almond) milk.

Though this recipe may sound overly simple, it truly makes a lovely and very, very yummy cake.

Skillet Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup cold water

Frosting

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons soft butter or vegan margarine

dash of salt

2 tablespoons brewed coffee, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F. Sift the dry ingredients together into a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or you can use and 8 x 8-inch cake pan). Make three wells in the dry ingredients. Pour the oil in the first well, the vinegar in the second, and the vanilla in the third. Pour the cold water over the top.

Stir with a fork until well blended. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Don't forget to use a hot pad when grabbing the handle of the skillet. Let cool, then frost.

For the frosting:

Cream together the butter/margarine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until well blended. Add the coffee and mix well. Spread over cooled cake.