The recipe for this homey cake comes from my mom, who made it for us to sell at my restaurant and then in the early days of the Market. I think that cast-iron skillets are one of the most versatile and indispensible cooking vessels you can have, and this cake is proof of that!
Recipe information
Yield
SERVES 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F.
Step 2
Peel, quarter, and core 4 of the pears and set aside. Peel and grate the other 2 and set them aside separately.
Step 3
In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter. Arrange the quartered pears on the sugar; if necessary, trim a few pieces to fit and fill the center.
Step 4
Combine the flour, granulated sugar, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, ground ginger, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, vanilla, and orange zest until blended. Stir in the grated pears. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.
Step 5
Pour the batter over the pears and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool the cake in the skillet for 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
