Pear Upside-Down Cake – Cast Iron Skillet
An easy delicious way to use pears (like bosc and anjou) that hold their shape after cooking.
Pear Upside-Down Cake – Cast Iron Skillet
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 pears ripe, but firm.
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup milk
Instructions
Initial preparation
- Using a large cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat.
- Add the brown sugar and stir over medium low heat until the mixture is smooth.
- Turn off the heat under the skillet and set it aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350 ºF.
Prepare the pears
- Peal the pears. Trim the stem and blossom ends.
- Slice the pears in half, lengthwise.
- Using a spoon, cut the core out of the pear halves.
- Slice the pears lengthwise into thin pieces.
- Arrange the pear slices on top of the brown sugar mixture in the cast iron skillet.
Prepare batter
- Using a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter along with the white sugar until the mixture is creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until the mixture is blended.
- While the blender is going at a low speed, alternate additions of the flour and milk until every thing is well blended.
- Try not to disturb the pears while slowly pouring the batter over the pears that have been arranged in the cast iron skillet.
- Carefully and gently, spread the batter evenly over the pears.
Bake and Serve
- Bake the skillet for 30 minutes at 350 ºF. Check by inserting a toothpick in the middle and making sure it comes out clean.
- Take the skillet out of the oven and let it cool on a rack for 5 minutes.
- Invert the cake onto a plate by placing a plate upside down over the top of the skillet and then skillfully flipping the contraption.
- Cut and serve.