pat's Recipe

Maple Pecan Pear Upside-Down Cake

Category: Cakes

Topping:
1/2 cup apple, cherry or cranberry juice
1/2 cup dried cherries
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 red D anjou pear, barely ripe, sliced
1/2 cup pecan halves

Cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. To prepare topping, pour juice into a small saucepan and bring to a boil; add dried cherries. Set aside.
3. Place butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch metal springform pan (wrap bottom with foil to prevent leaks). medium heat. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter, patting it down with your fingers. Pour maple syrup over brown sugar mixture. Do not stir.
4. Drain cherries, reserving both juice and cherries. Arrange pear slices, cherries and pecans over sugar mixture in skillet.
5. To prepare cake, sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In another bowl, beat butter with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue beating until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in vanilla and egg.
6. Pour reserved cherry-soaking liquid into a measuring cup, and add buttermilk to equal 2/3 cup.
7. Alternately add 1/3 of flour mixture and 1/3 of buttermilk mixture to butter mixture, beating gently after each addition. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk mixtures. Do not overbeat.
8. Spoon batter over fruit and topping, spreading lightly.
9. Bake about 45 minutes, until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve 8.

Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, Relish a Classic Dish, Sept. 2007.