Vineyard Kitchen
Serves 10 to 12
The flavors of this moist caramelized pear cake get better with each passing day as they have time to settle into one another. Serve this cake with ice cream and caramel sauce, a spoonful of soft nutmeg scented whipped cream or a wedge by itself with a cup of coffee. It will fittingly rise to the occasion whenever and however served.
Caramelized Pears:
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 large bosc pears or similar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cake batter: - 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup buttermilk
1. To prepare the pears, peel, halve and core.
2. Heat the butter until golden in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the pears and sauté them until they are golden. Sprinkle with sugar and cook until all the sugar is melted and caramelized. Add 1/4 cup hot water to the pan to loosen the caramel. Reduce the water to a thick syrup and remove the pan from the heat. Let the pears cool slightly.
3. Butter a 10” x 3” round cake pan. Add the pears to the pan with the flat, cut side up. Place one pear in the center of the pan. Place the remaining pears in a circle. The wide part of the pear should be at the edge and the narrow part at the center of the pan.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
6. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and the vanilla. Add to the butter mixture in two parts, beating well after each addition.
7. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and add to egg/butter mixture, half at a time, alternating with the buttermilk.
8. Spoon the batter over the pears and smooth with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool for ten minutes, run a knife around the edge of the pan and then turn it upside down onto a serving plate. Leave the pan on and cool to warm. Remove the pan and cut into wedges. Serve with vanilla ice cream or on its own.
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