Fresh Ginger Cake with Caramelized Pears

This recipe looks pretty fancy, but the cake itself is a cinch--I made in at 10:00 the other night for a dinner on Friday, and I was still in bed by 11. The caramelized pears...well, Jason made those while I was getting dressed for dinner and the play. The recipe suggests that you serve the caramel sauce, etc., immediately, but we just brought the cooked pears and caramel over separately and then heated them up together in a skillet before we served the cake. As I'm typing this, there are two leftover pieces of cake on a plate downstairs, just waiting for me. Yum, yum, yum.

I got this from the book A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. She says to be sure to use standard unsulfered molasses like Grandma's Original, not blackstrap molasses. I had a hard enough time finding the regular molasses, so you shouldn't have a problem.

For the cake:
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 c unsulfered molasses
1/4 c sour cream (not low fat or nonfat)
4 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 t finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 t grated lemon zest

For the caramelized pears:
2 medium firm-ripe pears
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 c sugar
3 T water
3 T heavy cream
1 1/2 t brandy or bourbon (not being brandy drinkers, we used vanilla)
Salt

Set an over rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round baking pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine the molasses, sour cream, butter, brown sugar, egg, ginger, and lemon zest and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.

Bake until a tester comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack. Cool to room temperature.

When you're ready to serve, prepare the caramelized pears. Carefully peel the pears and cut each lengthwise into 8 wedges, discarding the cores. Place them in a medium bowl, and toss them with the lemon juice.

In a heavy skillet just large enough to hold the pears in one layer--10-inches or so--melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pears and cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and continue to cook, shaking the skillet and gently turning the pears, until the sugar is melted and the pears are tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears back to their bowl (together with any leftover lemon juice).

Still over medium heat, boil the sugar-butter mixture remaining in the skilled, stirring occasionally, until it begins to turn a deep shade of caramel. While the mixture cooks, combine the water and cream in a small bowl or cup. When the caramel is the right color, remove the skilled from the heat and carefully add the cream mixture. Then add the brandy (or vanilla) and a pinch of salt. Return the skillet to heat and simmer, stirring, until thickened slightly (If your caramel seized when you added the liquids, just whisk briskly until it is smooth again.)

Serve the cake in wedges with a few pieces of pear alongside and caramel drizzled over the top. And whipped cream. Mmm...