Passed down through generations, every pan, skillet, pone tray, and Dutch oven tells a story. Lacquered from years of suppers and desserts, the oldest cast iron relics are blackened and bubbled from open pit fires and hearth cooking. Heavy with history, each carries glorious cooking traditions as readily as it sops up seasoning. Baking cornbread, biscuits, pies, cobblers, and upside-down cakes seasons skillets like nothing else can. Flavor seeps into cast iron's porous surface, and years of loving use make it the original nonstick pan, perfect for gooey fillings and buttery toppings.

Classic Southern cast-iron breads and desserts nourish the body and feed the soul. Cast iron's unrivaled ability to produce dry, even heat makes it a staple for time-honored recipes. There's simply no better way to bake fluffy loaves, chewy cookies, crispy corn break, or flaky pies. You'll find all these recipes and many others on the pages of Cast Iron Baking to delight and devour for years to come.