Caramelized pear cake


This one came from Epicurious--I'm definitely making it again!!! It is SO good. Though, I thought I'd cheat and use a springform pan. Evidently, my springform pan leaks so I created quite the smoke sensation... but it still tastes good. If you go to the epicurious link, I agree with the reviewer who says it's possible to make in a regular cake pan if it's high enough. I had to make a few changes due to what I had on hand (e.g., I used 1.5 teaspoons ground ginger since I didn't have the crystallized stuff and lemon zest in lieu of orange zest). However, I'd stick with the original recipe if possible...or add way more than 1.5t ground ginger. And that darn old small oven of ours keeps cooking things in way under the time suggested. I probably only had it in the oven for 20 minutes... Most reviewers didn't seem to complain about the timing so I have a sense it has to do with our dinky oven given other recent baking mishaps...

Caramelized pear cake Bon Appétit | September 2000

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream is perfect with this upside-down cake from the Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco.

Makes 8 servings.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 1/4 pounds Bosc pears, peeled, quartered, cored

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup grated peeled Bosc pears (about 2 medium)
preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in heavy 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet over low heat. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange quartered pears in flower design atop sugar, cutting some pieces to fit center if necessary.

Whisk flour, 2/3 cup sugar, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, ground ginger and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk eggs, oil, vanilla and orange peel in large bowl to blend. Mix in grated pears. Mix dry ingredients into egg mixture.

Carefully pour batter over pears in skillet. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in skillet on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around skillet sides to loosen. Place plate on skillet over cake. Invert cake onto plate. Serve warm.