Last Updated on September 24, 2024 by Lisa Keys

It's a win with my recipes. Lately, I have had a fun run of good luck in recipe contests. This recipe for SKILLET ROASTED SICILIAN CAULIFLOWER RED LENTIL PENNE took an honorable mention in the Explore Cuisine contest and this recipe, SALTED CHOCOLATE PEAR POUND CAKE, won the dessert category in USA Pears. Finally, my entry into the Coast Packing Company #lardlovers contest took a second place. Such a thrill when my recipes win. Here is the recipe.
From Coast Packing: This Strawberry Rhubarb Skillet Cake recipe, submitted by Lisa Keys of Kennett Square, Penn. took second place in our 3rd Annual #LardLovers Recipe Contest. The contest drew homegrown recipes — savory and sweet alike — from around the country. Her winning cake has a nice overall balance of sweet and tart. It is easy to make with readily accessible ingredients. And it can be made with or without a cast iron pan and still achieve great results!
Strawberry Rhubarb Skillet Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup lard
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 fresh or frozen large strawberries, stemmed, sliced in half
- 3 cups diced fresh rhubarb
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350F.
- In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet (I use cast iron), over low heat, melt ¼ cup of lard. Add ½ cup of brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon; mix and spread evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Remove from heat.
- Place 5 strawberry halves, cut side up, around the center of the skillet. Place remaining strawberry halves around them toward the edge of the skillet. Sprinkle rhubarb evenly over the skillet.
- In large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt and remaining ½ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon; blend well.
- Melt remaining ¼ cup of lard and add it along with the buttermilk, egg and ½ teaspoon of vanilla to dry ingredients.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients with an electric mixture until well mixed. Pour and spread batter evenly over fruit in skillet.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. If cake is getting too brown then cover loosely with foil during last 5 minutes of baking time.
- Cool cake for 5 minutes before running a knife around the edge and then inverting onto a serving plate.
- Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream. Garnish as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
I am so very grateful to the sponsors who run a good recipe contest with real food experts testing and mulling over the results. In addition, I just love being in the mix. Finally, I always feel quite lucky and proud to make the top 3.
Sallie Smith
Congratulations ! You are so talented!!!
Lisa
As in anything we do its practice that yields what appears to be talent. Thanks my sweet friend.
Helen E Fields
It's not just luck, Lisa. You are blessed with an amazing talent! I'm in awe at both the quality and quantity of delicious recipes you create. Thank you for sharing them with us. I look forward to see many more of your beautiful wins.
Lisa
Thank you dear, Helen. Win or lose I just so enjoy the cooking and the baking and feel blessed to be able to still participate. As you know the real joy is being able to share our food with those we love most not to mention all the friends we have made from being in competitions with each other. That is priceless.
James Matino
Some of those dish names seem a little wordy to me, but what do I know? Can’t argue with success. Congrats on your contest wins! The photos are terrific, and I always wish what you just made was sitting on a dish in front of me.
Lisa
wordy, but descriptive and catching the judges attention...if I just call it "pasta" or "poundcake" that's less interesting....tricks of the trade. I will have to come to Naples to cook a few dishes
James Matino
Just come anyway, although we just got all new appliances. The induction range top is pretty unbelievable.
Lisa
some day I will tell you a cook-off story (actually two stories) about induction stoves...1 causing my demise, but the other a big grand prize