Skillet cakes have been around for a long time. The original skillet cake was a pineapple upside down cake cooked in a cast iron skillet on the stove. Present day skillet cakes are baked in the oven, in the same seasoned cast iron skillets. Any version of skillet cake you try will be warm, comforting and sweetly caramelized in a way that can only be achieved with a cast iron skillet. The Protein Essentials test kitchen recipe is a healthier, less sweet version with a collagen protein boost. Beauty from within skillet cake!

1 c plus 2 T flour
1/4 c Protein Essentials Hydrolyzed Collagen
5 T butter, room temperature
3/4 c sugar plus 1 tablespoon
1 1/2 t vanilla
juice of half an orange
1 egg
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c almond milk
1 1/2 c strawberries, halved

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare skillet by greasing with butter and dusting with flour. Set aside.
Whisk flour, collagen, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well mixed. Set aside.
Beat 5 T butter and 3/4 c sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the vanilla, orange and egg.
Alternate adding flour mixture and almond milk just until batter is moistened throughout.
Spoon the batter into prepared skillet and smooth the top. Decoratively add the strawberries on top. Gently nestle the strawberries into the batter. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over the top.
Bake for 35 minutes until deep golden brown. Enjoy!