 | | Directions |
- For the pears, lightly butter a nine-inch cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the paper.
- heat the butter in a medium saute pan.
- Add the brown sugar, zest and lemon juice.
- Stir until the butter is melted and all ingredients are combined.
- Add the pears, lower the heat to medium low and cover.
- Simmer, turning once until the pears are soft and juicy.
- Remove them from the heat.
- Place 6 of the pear halves, stems towards the center with the rounded sides down, in the prepared pan.
- Chop the remaining pears and place them back into the sauce along with the currants.
- Heat for 2-3 minutes, then place half of the mixture in the center of the pears in the cake pan. Set the rest aside for later.
- For the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Scald the milk in a saucepan, keep warm.
- Whisk the flour, pecans, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Increase the speed to medium high and add the sugar. Continue beating until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat for one more minute.
- On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addtion.
- Turn mixer to low and add the flour mixture a little at a time.
- When all the flour in incorporated, remove the bowl and fold in the hot milk with a rubber spatula.
- Gently spread the batter over the pears in the cake pan, trying not to move them.
- Tap the pan lightly on the counter to settle the batter.
- Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, approximately 40-50 minutes.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes; then invert the cake onto a cake platter.
- Cool slightly then carefully peel off the parchment paper.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
- To finish the cake, you can dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar. Pour the reserved pear and currant sauce over the cake and serve each piece with a dollop of whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping.
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Cook Time: 45 minutes
Container: 9 inch cake pan, mixer, saucepan, sauté pan, medium bowl
Servings: 12
|  | | Ingredients | | | |
| - | | PEARS: |
| - | | 4 pears Anjou or Bosc - peeled, halved lengthwise and cored |
| - | | 1/4 cup currants or golden raisins |
| - | | 2 tablespoons unsalted butter |
| - | | 2 tablespoons brown sugar - packed |
| - | | 1 teaspoon lemon zest |
| - | | 2 teaspoons lemon juice |
| - | | CAKE: |
| - | | 1/3 cup milk |
| - | | 3/4 cup flour |
| - | | 1/2 cup pecans - roasted and finely chopped |
| - | | 1/2 teaspoon baking soda |
| - | | 1/2 teaspoon baking powder |
| - | | 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| - | | 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon |
| - | | 1/2 teaspoon allspice |
| - | | 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened |
| - | | 3/4 cup sugar |
| - | | 1/4 cup cocoa powder plus additional for garnish |
| - | | 1 teaspoon vanilla extract |
| - | | 2 eggs - large |
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