BUTTERMILK SPICE CAKE WITH PEAR COMPOTE AND CRèME FRAîCHE

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Buttermilk Spice Cake with Pear Compote and Crème Fraîche image

A light, tender cake that?s perfectly spiced. Any leftovers would be delicious with coffee or tea the next day.

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 21

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Large pinch of salt
3 Bosc pears (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon (scant) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground whole star anise*
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 3-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime peel
3/4 cup buttermilk
Powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups crème fraîche**

Steps:

  • PreparationFor pear compote: Mix sugar, lime juice, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Add pears and toss gently to coat. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until pears are just tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
  • For buttermilk spice cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides; line pan with round of parchment paper. Sift first 9 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add lime peel; beat to blend. Beat in flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions, scraping down bowl occasionally. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
  • Bake cake until beginning to brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on cooling rack. DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
  • Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack; peel off parchment and turn right side up onto platter. Sift powdered sugar over. Cut into wedges. Serve with pear compote and dollop of crème fraîche.
  • A brown, star-shaped seedpod that's available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Asian markets.
  • ** Available at most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.
  • Test-kitchen tip:Grind the star anise pods in a spice mill, then strain through a fine sieve. Use only the most finely ground star anise in the cake. Or you can buy ground star anise at penzeys.com.Per serving: 362.9 kcal calories, 50.3 % calories from fat, 20.3 g fat, 12.5 g saturated fat, 105.4 mg cholesterol, 41.8 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g dietary fiber, 25.6 g total sugars, 39.3 g net carbohydrates, 4.2 g protein
  • Nutritional analysis provided by Bon Appétit

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