New England Spider Cake Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350º degrees. Combine the milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to sour-approximately 5-10 minutes.
• 2. In a mixing bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
• 3. Once the milk has soured and has thickened slightly, whisk the eggs into the milk.
• 4. Stir the dry ingredients into the batter *just* until blended. Tip: I use a large wire whisk to stir the ingredients together.
• 5. Melt butter in a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Pour in the batter. Pour the heavy cream into center but DO NOT stir, then slide the skillet into the oven and bake until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.
• 6. To serve: slice into wedges and serve warm with a light drizzle of real maple syrup if desired.

Steps:

• Place dry cast iron skillet in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. While the oven is heating, combine the milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to curdle (wait 5 to 10 minutes - you'll see the milk get lumpy). If you are using buttermilk, you don't need to wait; you can add the buttermilk when mixing the batter. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk eggs into the curdled milk (or buttermilk). Stir into dry ingredients and set batter aside. When the oven (and the cast iron skillet) reach 350 degrees F, melt the butter in the pan, spreading it around with a fork or spatula. Be sure to spread the butter along the sides as well as the bottom, as it melts. When the butter has melted, pour the batter into the pan. Don't wait for the pan to cool off. Pour the cream into the center, then immediately place the pan into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown. The hot pan will properly cook the underside of the cake. The result will be a bottom layer that is fluffy and moist all the way to the bottom; but it's not soggy. And it doesn't stick! Slice into wedges and serve warm, with maple syrup if you'd like.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Combine the milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to sour. In another bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the eggs into the soured milk; stir into the dry ingredients and set batter aside.
• Melt butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and pour in the batter. Pour the cream into the center and slide the skillet into the oven. Bake until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve warm. (It's perfect on its own, but be prepared that people are going to want to put something on the spider cake -- butter and honey, jam, or just butter.).
• NOTE: You can use 2 cups of buttermilk instead of souring regular milk. And, if spider cake inspires you to buy a cast-iron skillet, you'll need to season it when it first comes out of the box (unless you buy a preseasoned one.).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to sour. 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. Pour in the batter. Pour cream into the center, slide skillet into the oven and bake until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve warm.

Steps:

• Sift flour with baking soda, salt, and sugar.
• Stir in cornmeal.
• Combine eggs, vinegar, milk, and shortening. Add to dry ingredients, and stir just until dry ingredients are moist.
• Turn into a greased 8x8x2" baking pan.
• Bake at 400, for 30-35 minutes.