Tour North (with Spider Cake Recipe!)
Let’s celebrate Spider Cake!
Whether we travel “North of Lancaster” or not, baking a Spider Cake is a delicious way to usher in Autumn—or, to wish it here already! This New England skillet cake even has a surprise inside. By pouring heavy cream over the cake, a sweet layer of custard appears after it’s baked. What? Spider Cake with no spider? Thankfully, of course not. Spider is another name for a cast iron skillet. These skillets used to have little legs so the cook could to sit it on the fire. Enjoy this recipe was first published in the 1880s, and please send photos!
Spider Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups milk
4 tsp white wine vinegar
1 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 T butter
1 cup heavy cream
Maple Syrup
Directions:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to sour (the milk will get lumpy in 5-10 minutes).
Step 2
In another bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk eggs into the soured milk. Stir into dry ingredients and set batter aside. Melt butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, then pour into batter. Pour cream into center and place skillet into oven. Bake until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.
Step 3
Slice into wedges and serve warm with Vermont maple syrup.
Serves 8. Calories: 380 without syrup.