The "Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa" Cast-Iron Peach Cobbler
Front Porch Gatherings & Holiday Spreads
Six o'clock on a Tuesday, the kitchen is loud, a 10-inch cast-iron skillet is hot, and dessert is simply flour, sugar, one cup of milk, and butter. The real heritage cast-iron cobbler relies on one iron-clad rule: you do not stir the pan. The peaches hiss against the iron, the fruit sinks, the cake rises, and the butter climbs the edges to fry the crust into something magnificent. It’s weeknight magic, and yes, using canned peaches in heavy syrup is exactly how it’s done. The edges blister dark, and someone finally reaches for a spoon.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter1/2 cup
- all-purpose flour1 cup
- granulated sugar1 cup
- baking powder2 tsp
- kosher salt1/4 tsp
- whole milk1 cup
- pure vanilla extract1 tsp
- sliced peaches in heavy syrup29 oz
- ground cinnamon1/2 tsp
- granulated sugar1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Melt the butter in the hot iron.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) with a 10-inch or 12-inch cast-iron skillet inside containing the stick of butter, letting it melt and sizzle for about 5 to 7 minutes.
- 02
Whisk the wet and dry ingredients.
In a mixing bowl, gently whisk the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, and vanilla until a loose, smooth batter forms.
- 03
Pour the batter, but do not stir.
Carefully pull the hot skillet from the oven and pour the batter directly into the center of the melted butter without mixing.
- 04
Add the fruit and walk away.
Gently spoon the peaches and all of their heavy syrup evenly over the batter, and again, do absolutely no stirring—the oven will do the mixing for you.
- 05
Bake until the edges fry.
Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and the remaining tablespoon of sugar, then bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the cake rises and the edges turn a deep, crispy brown.
- 06
Serve warm straight from the skillet.
Let it rest for 10 minutes so the molten syrup thickens, then serve immediately with vanilla ice cream melting over the top.
Notes
Respect the canned peach.
In the rural South, putting up summer fruit for the winter is a way of life. Commercially canned peaches in heavy syrup are 100% authentic here and provide the exact viscosity needed for the batter to rise properly.
Using fresh peaches.
If it's peak mid-July and you have fresh, ripe freestone peaches, peel and slice 4 large ones. Toss them in 3/4 cup of sugar and let them sit for 45 minutes to create their own heavy syrup before layering them into the pan.
From Cook Southern Food.