This easy skillet cake with cranberries and apples highlights some of my favorite fall flavors – in a lightly spiced batter.

Fall and winter are such cozy seasons for baking that I find myself with something in the oven at least a few times a week. This skillet cake is a wonderfully versatile recipe that you can really serve any time of day.

This post is sponsored by Lodge Cast Iron. Their new bakeware line is gorgeous, sturdy, super versatile (hello, stove to oven to table!) and sure to become some of your favorites. I’ve used Lodge Cast Iron for years in my kitchen and I was very excited to learn about their new line of bakeware including this Baker’s Skillet which is perfect for everything from a savory quiche to a simple and comforting cake like this one.

Have a slice with tea or coffee in the afternoon, but make sure to save a bit for breakfast the next day too. Or, you can dress it up with a little bit of confectioner’s sugar and whipped crème fraiche for a gorgeous, low lift dessert.

The addition of rye flour here makes the cake exceptionally tender and I love the addition of tart cranberries for both color and a little pop of bright flavor that offsets the sweet and spice. If you don’t keep rye flour you can substitute and equal amount of all purpose or whole wheat flour, and feel free to sub pears for the apples too.

Skillet Rye Cranberry Apple Cake

Makes one 9 or 10-inch cake

3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup (160g) crème fraiche

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup (130g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (65g) light rye flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped apple, from 1 large apple

3/4 cup (75g) fresh or frozen cranberries

4 teaspoons crunchy sugar like turbinado

Confectioners sugar and whipped crème fraiche to serve, if desired

1. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the Lodge Bakers’s Skillet or 9-inch cake pan

2. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, crème fraiche, and spices. Whisk until smooth and emulsified.

3. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk until almost combined.

4. Switch to a rubber spatula and add the cranberries and apples. Fold to combine making sure no streaks of flour remain.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the sugar over the top.

5. Bake until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Serve warm or room temperature with a dusting of confectioners sugar and whipped crème fraiche if desired.

This one-bowl Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Maple Olive Oil Glaze is as easy as can be. It’s a great alternative to pie for Thanksgiving too. The maple olive oil glaze is sweet and savory all at once and has the most velvety texture.

If you’re feeling to tired or to stressed for pie this Thanksgiving, or maybe you just don’t like pie (I know you’re out there!) - let me humbly suggest this Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake that comes together in one bowl without much fuss. You have probably guessed this already, but it’s a recipe from my new book Snacking Cakes!

It has all of the warm spices you could possibly want, and is topped with maple olive oil glaze and a pinch of sea salt for a sweet and savory vibe that makes it a great snack for anytime of day. You might even want to make one now to snack on as you’re cooking today and tomorrow…Just a thought!

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It’s the perfect size for the small gatherings we are all having this year, and if you have leftovers they make an excellent breakfast the next day. We baked it as a loaf for the book, but you can certainly bake it in a round or square pan too.

Stay safe out there everyone. Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Maple Olive Oil Glaze from Snacking Cakes

Pumpkin cake isn’t just for the fall, and this version, spiked with a bit of allspice and black pepper, has a hit of warmth that makes it more exciting than your average pumpkin spice mix. The glaze has a sweet and savory thing going on that pairs beautifully with the spices. If you prefer your pumpkin cake unadorned, feel free to skip the glaze and just sprinkle a few tablespoons of untoasted pepitas over the top of the cake batter before it goes into the oven.

Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake

1 cup (200g) light brown sugar

2 large eggs 

1 cup (230g) pumpkin puree 

½ cup (120ml) olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

A few grinds of black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups (190g) all-purpose our

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons chopped toasted pepitas (optional)

Maple Olive Oil Glaze

1 cup (100g) confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tablespoons maple syrup 

1 to 2 tablespoons hot water

Pinch of kosher salt

Chopped pepitas (optional)

Flaky salt (optional)

1. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two of the edges.

2. MAKE THE CAKE: In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the pumpkin puree, olive oil, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, pepper, and kosher salt. Whisk until smooth and emulsified.

3. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk until well-combined and smooth.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles, and smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the pepitas over the top if you are not going to glaze the cake.

5. Bake until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on the rack to cool completely.

6. MAKE THE GLAZE: Combine the confectioners’ sugar, olive oil, maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of the hot water, and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more water as necessary to make a thick but pourable glaze.

7. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and sprinkle with the pepitas and flaky salt, if desired. Let the glaze set for about 20 minutes before slicing the cake. (Store the cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days.)

Use Another Pan

LOAF: Bake in a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan until puffed and golden, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. You’ll need a half batch of glaze to coat the cake in a thin layer.

ROUND: Bake in a 9-inch round pan until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.

SHEET: Double the ingredients for the cake and bake in a 9 x 13-inch pan until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Double the ingredients for the glaze, too.

Dress It Up

Add a dollop of Brown Sugar Whip (page 180) or a scoop of ice cream (or both!) to slices of cake before serving.

Flavor Variations

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE: Prepare the cake as directed, then fold in ½ cup (85g) chopped bittersweet chocolate just before pouring the batter into the pan. Top with Cocoa Glaze (page 135).

RYE PUMPKIN CAKE: Substitute ½ cup (65g) light rye flour for the all-purpose flour. This version is also quite nice with a bit of chocolate folded into the batter.