Upside-Down Pear Walnut Cake

This is so good.... a moist cake with sliced pears, skillet-baked in a brown sugar sauce, inverted onto a platter for serving, this is a winner.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 8 wedges

Ingredients

• 1  cup flour
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
• 2  eggs or 2  egg whites, from extra-large eggs
• 1⁄4 cup butter or 1⁄4 cup margarine, melted
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons margarine
• 1⁄3 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped walnuts
• 2  pears, peeled cored and thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions

1. Set oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9-inch cast-iron skillet.
3. In a bowl, combine together the flour and the next 7 ingredients (flour through cloves).
4. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, 1/4 cup butter and molasses; add to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth.
5. In a cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter.
6. Stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar; cook over medium heat 1 minute.
7. Remove from heat; sprinkle with walnuts.
8. Place the pear slices in the bottom of the skillet.
9. Pour the batter over the pears; bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake tests done.
10. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack; invert the cake onto a serving plate.
11. Serve warm, or at room temperature.