Michelle prepared an easy Skillet Fruit Cake for dessert at the South Arm Older Adults Cooking Club.

This cake is best made in a cast iron skillet which gives it a crispy bottom. Since the South Arm kitchen does not have a cast iron skillet, we baked the cake in a regular round cake pan and muffin tins.

We made two versions of this cake, one with thinly sliced pear and another with canned peaches. The pear gives the topping a slightly crunchy texture.

The simplicity of this cake is that you can mix it by hand and have it in the oven in 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup softened, unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (recommended) or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (or other stoned fruit, apples or pears, thinly sliced)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar for topping

Source: mintgreenapron.blogspot.com

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.In a small bowl, mix butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until combined. Add one egg and mix well. Add milk and extract.

In a another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Beat until light and fluffy (get an arm workout and mix it quickly for about a minute or two).

Butter and flour a 8″ round cake pan or line a muffin tin with 9 paper cups. Fill the remaining cups with a little water before baking to prevent burning. Spoon batter into butter rubbed cake pan or muffin tins (9″ cast iron pan works well). Top with sliced fruit. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until middle is softly set.