Easy Vanilla Cake in a Skillet

Ingredients

½ cup butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup milk
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. Baking powder
4 egg whites
1 Vanilla bean, seeded
¼ cup Powdered sugar
½ tsp. Cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a 10″ cast iron skillet with cooking spray and dust with flour. Optionally you can use a 9″ or 10″ cake pan.

Measure the sugar into a bowl. Next, cut the vanilla bean in half long wise then open it up and scrape the seeds out with the flat side of the knife. Add the seeds to the sugar and thoroughly mix together. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add the room temperature butter and beat for one minute on medium speed.
Add the sugar mixture to the bowl and beat for two minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together.

Add a ¼ cup of milk to the butter/sugar mixture then add ½ cup of the flour. Keep alternating adding the milk and flour; scrape the bowl occasionally.

Put the egg whites in a bowl and lightly beat to break up the whites. Add the beaten egg whites to the bowl and mix until combined. Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared cast-iron skillet or baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes. If the top of the cake is getting too brown cover the cake with aluminum foil. The cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.

In a small sifter or fine-meshed strainer add the powdered sugar and cinnamon in layers then sift over the cooled cake.
Cover any leftover cake with plastic wrap and keep on the counter for up to two days.