Baked Dessert: Pear Cake with a Skillet
Rewrite:
Craft this show-stopping dessert with minimal effort — say hello to the cast-iron Skillet Pear Cake! Start by melding butter, brown sugar, and crystallized ginger in a skillet. Arrange some juicy pear halves within this sweet goo, and top it with a spiced cake batter. Pop it in the oven, let it bake, then cool it before unveiling the oozing caramel and baked pears. Serve it with seasonal goodies like pumpkin and apple pie during the holidays or post a cozy weeknight meal of roasted pork tenderloin.
- Servings: 10-12
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time: 1 hr 40 mins
Recipe (14 parts)
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup finely chopped candied ginger
- 2 pounds firm, ripe Bosc pears (around 4 medium pears), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk, room temp
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in the middle.
- Melt 1 stick butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add the brown sugar and ginger, whisking occasionally until bubbly (approximately 4 minutes). Place the pear halves, cut-side down, in the skillet, making a circular pattern with stem ends pointing towards the center. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Beat the remaining stick of butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the paddle and bowl.
- Add eggs and vanilla, beating until incorporated (roughly 1 minute). Clean the bowl again.
- Add a third of the flour mixture, mix on low speed until flour is incorporated, then add half the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk, ending with the flour, ensuring smooth batter. Remove from mixer, stir by hand any remaining flour streaks, and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Dollop the batter over the pears and smooth into an even layer (with about a 1/2-inch border from the edges). Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean (test several spots as you may hit a pear), approximately 30-35 minutes.
- Move skillet to a wire rack, cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter, invert cake onto a large platter (arrange any fallen pears back in the cake), cut into wedges, and serve.
Bonus Tips:
For an extra-special occasion, serve Skillet Pear Cake alongside these terrific fall desserts: Apple Crisp, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, Spiced Cider, Pear Cobbler, Caramel Apple Empanadas, or Gingerbread. Explore these options for a delightful assortment of tastes and textures to complete your autumn celebration!
- The cast-iron Skillet Pear Cake recipe contains peeled, halved, and cored Bosc pears, which add a fruity element to the dessert.
- Following the baking instructions, ensure the oven temperature is set to 350°F to achieve a golden brown, well-baked cake.
- To elevate the Skillet Pear Cake further, consider serving it with seasonal desserts such as apple crisp, pumpkin spice latte, or gingerbread, offering a variety of flavors and textures for an autumn celebration.
