Pears, brown sugar, nutty brown butter and cardamom baked into our Classic Vanilla Cake Mix. The whole thing comes together in a cast iron skillet and it absolutely sings with the feeling of fall.
Recipe:
serves 10-12
For the pears:
4 medium Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, cored and sliced
¼ cup packed brown sugar
The juice of one lemon
Pinch of fine salt
For the cake:
½ stick unsalted butter
1 package Wild Rye Classic Vanilla Cake Mix
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
¼ cup neutral oil, such as avocado oil
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for the top
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Cut the pears into 1/4 to 1/2 inch wedges.
- Add the pears, brown sugar, lemon juice and salt to a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring gently, until the pears begin to soften but still hold their shape and the juices are bubbling and have thickened slightly. Transfer the pears and their juices to a bowl.
- Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and nutty. Once the butter stops foaming, it's ready.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Add the Vanilla Cake Mix and cardamom and stir together until smooth.
- Pour the batter directly over the brown butter. Swirling the bater into the brown butter. It does not need to be perfectly combined. Spoon the pears and their juices evenly over the top.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a tester inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the top is getting too brown before the center is done, loosely cover it with foil.
- Let the cake rest for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm from the skillet, preferably with some powdered sugar, or vanilla ice cream, or even a pour of cold half and half.
Enjoy!