Tried baking with my old cast iron pan for the first time...

I saw a video about making cornbread in a cast iron skillet, so I greased up my old 10-inch pan and poured the batter in. The recipe said to bake it for 20 minutes, but after 15, the top was already super dark and the middle was still raw. I learned that my pan holds heat way more than a regular glass dish, so it cooks faster from the bottom up. Anyone have tips for adjusting bake times when you switch to cast iron?

3 comments

3 Comments

carter.laura4d ago

Oh man, did your pan get ripping hot before you put it in? My buddy had the exact same thing happen with a pineapple upside-down cake, it was a total mess. He started putting his cast iron in the cold oven so it heats up slowly with everything else, and that helped a ton. Maybe try lowering your oven temp by like 25 degrees next time too, since that metal just holds onto heat like crazy. It's all about trial and error with those old pans, I mean his third attempt finally worked out okay.

rodriguez.felix4d ago

Wait, so did your buddy preheat the oven with the pan already inside, or did he put the pan in after turning it on but before it got hot? I'm trying to picture the exact order. Because if the pan goes in a cold oven, the whole thing heats together, but if you put it in a hot oven, that shock might be the real problem.

wells.karen4d ago

Yeah, that shock from a hot oven is real. Had a cornbread stick to the bottom of mine like glue once. Totally agree with @carter.laura about starting in a cold oven, that made the biggest difference for me. Letting the pan and the batter warm up together just works better. Also found that a really good layer of butter or oil right before the batter goes in is key. Those old pans need a little extra care.