Nothing says fall in the country like a slice of sugar cane syrup cake still warm from the cast iron skillet – smeared with sweet cream butter. One bite and you’ll find yourself transported to a “boiling house” of cut stone with a long handled spoon and the hum of bees drawn to the scent of the steaming sugary goodness.
As the cane syrup cake melts on your tongue, you can almost picture the mule running the mill as washed sugarcane is chopped by the revolving blades and then crushed.
You can feel the heat of the water as someone adds the pulp and begins the hours of stirring and storytelling.
Or you could visit Westville Village, Georgia and see it in person. They make sugar cane syrup there and sell it in their 1850s country store. The taste? Heavenly.
I’m guessing you’ll want a recipe. Am I right? This stuff is all kinds of delicious.
Sugar Cane Syrup Skillet Cake
1 stick (4 ounces) softened butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 cups cane syrup, more for serving
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
Dash of nutmeg
½ cup buttermilk or sour milk
2 teaspoons vanilla or buttered rum
½ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt some butter in your cast iron skillet and paint the walls of the skillet by tilting the skillet or using a pastry brush.
2. In a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add in syrup and eggs. Mix thoroughly.
3. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and a dash of nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients mixture a little at a time alternating with buttermilk and mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla or rum.
4. Pour batter into the still-warm skillet and bake 45 to 60 minutes, reducing heat to 350 degrees once the cake is in the oven. Bake until springy to the touch. Cool in pan for a few minutes. Serve in slices with butter, a sprinkling of chopped nuts and some cane syrup.
Tell me that you are not aching to try a slice. If you make it, could you call me so I can have some too? You think I’m kidding — ha! Call me. I’ll be there in ten minutes flat.
Be sure to visit the Razor Family FarmsWeb site.
