Pear Upside Down Cake With Orange Butter Sauce

Fresh autumn pears are spicy and juicy, and this is the best time to enjoy them baked into this upside down cake. Pass the orange butter sauce at the table. Bosc pears are the best for baking. If you cannot get them, use Bartletts or Seckels.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  fresh bosc pears (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided, 1 1/2 sticks
• 1⁄4 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1  large egg
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 2⁄3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup milk

• ORANGE BUTTER SAUCE

• 1  cup  fresh orange juice
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Peel, halve, and core the pears; set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F Put ¼ cup of the butter into a 10 x 6 inch baking pan and place into the oven as it preheats. Remove from the oven when the butter is melted.
3. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter. Arrange the pears in a single layer over the brown sugar with the cut side down.
4. In a large bowl, cream the remaining ½ cup butter with the granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla. Mix in the baking powder and salt. Add the flour alternately with the milk, mixing until the batter is smooth.
5. Pour the mixture evenly over the pears. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert while warm onto a serving plate and serve warm with the orange butter sauce.
6. While the cake bakes, make the sauce. Combine the orange juice, cornstarch, sugar, butter, and ginger in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium high heat, stirring. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove from the heat. Makes 6 servings.
7. The Great Holiday Baking Book.