Pear-Pecan Upside-Down Cake

By Caryl

Slow cooker recipe from Food Network

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing; 3 tablespoons cut into small pieces, 4 tablespoons softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 Bosc pears, peeled, halved lengthwise and cored
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
• Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Details

Servings 4
Cooking time 3mins
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

Butter the inside of a 5-quart round slow cooker, then line it completely with a large sheet of foil and butter the foil. Turn the cooker on low. Sprinkle the cut-up butter and the brown sugar over the foil in the cooker. Add the pears, arranging them in a circle, cut-side down.


Mix the flour, pecans, cornmeal, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. In the large bowl of a mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on low speed until just blended. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.


With the mixer on low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed just until the batter is smooth. Spread over the pears in the slow cooker. Drape paper towels over the top of the slow cooker (not touching the cake) to prevent condensation from dripping onto the cake. Cover and cook on low until the cake sets and the sides brown, about 3 hours. Turn off the cooker and let the cake rest about 20 minutes.


Lift the cake by the foil and place on a rack to cool. Carefully invert onto a platter and peel off the foil. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.