posted by SandyOH 08-13-102 3:32 AM
Spiced Pear Skillet Cake
Tuesday, September 14, 1999 / The Oregonian
Makes 12 servings
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces ( 3/4 stick)
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup corn oil or vegetable oil
1 small pear, unpeeled, coarsely grated
1 tablespoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
4 medium pears, peeled, cored, each cut into 6 wedges (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position rack in center of oven.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over bottom of heavy 12-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) with 2 1/2-inch-high sides. Add butter pieces to skillet. Place skillet in oven until butter melts, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in bowl. Using electric mixer, beat in eggs and oil. Mix in grated pear and ginger; set aside.
Using oven mitt, remove skillet from oven; whisk butter and sugar until sugar dissolves. Arrange pear wedges in skillet in a flower pattern, fitting wedges closely together and placing any remaining
wedges in center. Pour batter over pears, spreading evenly.
Bake until cake is springy to the touch and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer skillet to rack and cool 20 minutes. Loosen edge of cake with knife. Place large plate over skillet. Using oven mitts, firmly grasp plate and skillet. Carefully invert skillet, turning out cake onto plate. Remove skillet. Serve cake warm with ice cream, if desired.
From Bon Appetit magazine, October 1992