![Cherry Skillet Cake Recipe](https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/1-cherry-skillet-cake.jpg)
I’ve always loved the idea of afternoon tea time cakes, and this dessert fits the bill. With a few simple ingredients, this skillet cake is a perfect summer time treat. It’s easy to put together, and makes good use of July’s cherry crop.
![Cherry Skillet Cake Recipe](https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2-cherry-skillet-cake.jpg)
This cake is adapted from Gourmet’s famous Raspberry Buttermilk Cake. I used a mix of Bing and Rainier cherries in this cake. I thought it would be pretty to leave a few with stems left in, but the stems just shriveled up in the oven, and I wouldn’t recommend doing it for this cake. If you don’t have a cherry pitter, a plastic straw will work.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pound cherries, pitted and halved
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch cast iron pan (a 10-inch cake pan will work here, too).
![Cherry Skillet Cake Recipe](https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/3-cherry-skillet-cake.jpg)
![Cherry Skillet Cake Recipe](https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/4-cherry-skillet-cake.jpg)
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla until just combined. Add the dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.
![Cherry Skillet Cake Recipe](https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/5-cherry-skillet-cake.jpg)
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the cherries on top of the batter, as closely as possible in a single layer.
![Cherry Skillet Cake Recipe](https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/6-cherry-skillet-cake.jpg)
Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the cherries.
Bake the cake for 10 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake the cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50-60 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.
![Cherry Skillet Cake Recipe](https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/7-cherry-skillet-cake.jpg)
Enjoy!