Golden Pear Upside-Down Cake with Brandied Cream

By Chez_Alexander

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened, divided
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 medium or 3 large pears, cored, peeled, and sliced 1/2" thick
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 TBS Poire Williams or other pear brandy
• 2 tsp sugar

Preparation

Step 1

CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place 1/4 cup butter in 9" cast iron skillet or oven-proof skillet.

2. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Cook and stir until sugar is melted and bubbly; remove from heat. Set aside; cool. (Alternatively, make brown sugar-butter mixture in saucepan, then pour into 9" cake pan.) Arrange pear slices in skillet or pan.

3. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat remaining 1/2 cup butter with mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sugar until combined. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition until just combined. (Batter may appear curdled). Spread batter evenly over pears.

4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes. Loosen cake from pan; invert onto plate. Serve with brandied cream.

BRANDIED CREAM:

Beat 1 cup cream on medium speed until cream just thickens. Add pear brandy and 2 tsp sugar. Beat on high speed until peaks form.

Makes 8 servings. Each serving = 11 Weight Watchers points.