Chocolate Coconut Caramel Skillet Cake

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 8

Ingredients:

Cake:

1        cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1        cup granulated sugar

1/2     teaspoon baking soda

1/4     teaspoon salt

1/4     cup butter

3        tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa

1/2     cup water

1/4     cup vegetable oil

1        egg

1/4     cup buttermilk

1        teaspoon vanilla

Caramel Sauce:

1       cup packed brown sugar

1/2    cup half-and-half

1/4    cup butter

1/4    teaspoon salt

1       tablespoon vanilla

Coconut:

1       cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Directions:

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F.
• 2 In small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.
• 3 In 9-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 1/4 cup butter, the cocoa, water and oil to boiling over medium heat. Beat in flour mixture with whisk. In 1-cup glass measuring cup, beat egg, buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Working quickly, beat in buttermilk mixture with whisk until combined. Pour into skillet.
• 4 Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• 5 While cake is baking, make Caramel Sauce. In 2-quart saucepan, stir together brown sugar, half-and-half, 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-low heat 5 to 7 minutes, beating with whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla.
• 6 Sprinkle toasted coconut evenly over warm cake to cover. Drizzle with caramel sauce. If desired, serve with whipped cream.

Expert Tips:

Feel free to use purchased caramel sauce.
Vanilla ice cream is delicious served on top of this warm cake
Source:  dbettycrocker.com