Pear Cardamom Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

Based on 8 servings per recipe.

• 4 pears (European or Asian)
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons low sodium baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel pears, core and quarter.
3. Melt 1/4 cup butter in large, nonstick fry pan.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar.
5. Put pears, cut side down, into sugar mixture.
6. Cover and cook on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, checking regularly to avoid burning, until sugar begins to turn brown and caramelize.
7. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer or food processor, beat 3/4 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
8. Mix in egg and vanilla, then add milk.
9. Mix flour with baking powder and cardamom.
10. Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture with spatula, until just combined.
11. Move pears into a glass 8-9″ round cake pan, with caramel sauce, leaving cut sides of pears down.
12. Spoon batter evenly over pears.
13. Some pears may stick up a bit, this is fine.
14. Bake in middle of oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
15. Cool cake about 5 minutes.
16. Run a knife around cake or muffin cup edges.
17. Put a plate over the pan and flip over.
18. Let it sit a few minutes, cake should release onto plate.