email this pageIngredients
Topping:
½ cup apple, cherry or cranberry juice
½ cup dried cherries
3 tablespoons butter
2⁄3 cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
1 red D’anjou pear, barely ripe, sliced
½ cup pecan halves
Cake:
1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1⁄3 cup butter, softened
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup buttermilk
Instructions
½ cup apple, cherry or cranberry juice
½ cup dried cherries
3 tablespoons butter
2⁄3 cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
1 red D’anjou pear, barely ripe, sliced
½ cup pecan halves
Cake:
1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1⁄3 cup butter, softened
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup buttermilk
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. To prepare the topping, pour juice into a small saucepan and bring to a boil; add dried cherries. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch metal pie pan over medium heat. Turn off heat. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter, patting it down with your fingers. Pour maple syrup over brown sugar mixture—do not stir.
4. Drain cherries, reserving both juice and cherries. Arrange pear slices, cherries and pecans over sugar mixture in skillet.
5. To prepare the cake, sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In another bowl, beat butter with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue beating until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in vanilla and egg.
6. Pour reserved cherry-soaking liquid into a measuring cup, and add buttermilk to equal 2⁄3 cup.
7. Alternately add 1⁄3 of flour mixture and 1⁄3 of buttermilk mixture to butter mixture, beating gently in between. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk mixtures. Do not overbeat.
8. Drop batter gently, by spoonfuls, over prepared fruit and topping, spreading lightly.
9. Bake about 45 minutes or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately run a knife around the inside edge of the skillet. Let cake cool 5 to 10 minutes, then place a flat serving plate larger than the skillet on top of it. Invert, allowing the skillet to rest a few minutes for the topping to settle. Gently remove the skillet. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve 8.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, Relish a Classic Dish, Sept. 2007.
Nutritional Information
2. To prepare the topping, pour juice into a small saucepan and bring to a boil; add dried cherries. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch metal pie pan over medium heat. Turn off heat. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter, patting it down with your fingers. Pour maple syrup over brown sugar mixture—do not stir.
4. Drain cherries, reserving both juice and cherries. Arrange pear slices, cherries and pecans over sugar mixture in skillet.
5. To prepare the cake, sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In another bowl, beat butter with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue beating until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in vanilla and egg.
6. Pour reserved cherry-soaking liquid into a measuring cup, and add buttermilk to equal 2⁄3 cup.
7. Alternately add 1⁄3 of flour mixture and 1⁄3 of buttermilk mixture to butter mixture, beating gently in between. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk mixtures. Do not overbeat.
8. Drop batter gently, by spoonfuls, over prepared fruit and topping, spreading lightly.
9. Bake about 45 minutes or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately run a knife around the inside edge of the skillet. Let cake cool 5 to 10 minutes, then place a flat serving plate larger than the skillet on top of it. Invert, allowing the skillet to rest a few minutes for the topping to settle. Gently remove the skillet. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve 8.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon, Relish a Classic Dish, Sept. 2007.
Per serving: 390 calories, 12g fat, 5g prot., 68g carbs., 2g fiber, 280mg sodium.
