The Simple Tip For Ensuring Baked Goods Don't Stick To Cast Iron

A sturdy, durable cast iron skillet just might be the best piece of cooking equipment you can possibly add to your collection. Cast iron pans distribute heat evenly, can go from stovetop to oven with ease, and are naturally nonstick once they've been well seasoned, per Kitchn. They are also incredibly long-lasting, easily lasting several generations when cleaned and cared for correctly (via Taste of Home).

Cast iron skillets excel at cooking so many items, from searing steak to oven-roasting veggies to frying eggs. But do you ever think to bake your favorite desserts in your trusty cast iron? According to Martha Stewart, some of the baked goods that turn out wonderfully in a cast iron pan are cornbread, chocolate chip skillet cookies, plum cake, apple Dutch baby pancakes, and peach cobbler. 

The next time you get the urge to bake, you might want to reach for your cast iron instead of the usual baking pan. But you're going to want to remember one important tip for preparing the skillet, so that your favorite dessert won't stick to it.

According to Kris Stubblefield, a baking professional and chef at Lodge, a well-seasoned cast iron skillet is an excellent piece of equipment for turning out baked goods — but requires an extra step or two to ensure it's nonstick. Stubblefield told Kitchn that in addition to using a silicone pastry brush to grease the skillet with butter or oil, home bakers should also follow up with an even layer of flour. Doing so provides extra insurance that any delicate cake or skillet brownie will release from the skillet with ease after baking.

To flour a greased skillet, sprinkle a small amount of flour into the pan, then turn the pan around over a sink in order to coat each side. Finally, tip the skillet upside-down and tap it a few times to release any extra flour. Depending on the recipe you're using, you can also use cocoa powder (if it's a chocolate dessert), finely ground cornmeal (a great choice for cornbread), or gluten free flour. 

As soon as your dessert of choice comes out of the oven, run a butter knife around the perimeter of the pan, and your treat should release easily — and be on its merry way to your plate.