I made this recipe twice over the
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 firm but ripe, large pears (Bosc, Comice or
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tablespoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups boiling water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
1. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 9-inch square cake pan (flameproof) over medium heat. Add ½ cup granulated sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and turns light brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pear slices in a decorative pattern and remove the pan or skillet from the heat.
2. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter and 1 cup brown sugar until light. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the molasses.
3. In another bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Fold the dry mixture into the creamed mixture, along with the boiling water, stirring only until all the ingredients are combined. Be careful not to overmix.
4. Smooth batter evenly over the decoratively-arranged pears and bake in preheated oven around 35 to 40 minutes. Cake should feel springy to the touch when done. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Run a table knife around the edge of the pan and shake it to make sure the cake is not sticking. (If it is, set the pan over low heat and heat for 1 to 2 minutes, gently shaking it until the cake is free.)
6. Place a serving plate upside down on the pan. Wearing oven mitts, invert the plate and pan together. Lift off the pan. Cut into squares and serve, with whipped cream.
Serves 8 to 10.
