Small-Batch Pear-Walnut Upside-Down Cake

• servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons, unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces), dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon, cornstarch

Pinch , table salt

1 large ripe but firm, Bosc pear (8 ounces)

½ cup, walnuts, toasted

¼ cup (1¼ ounces), all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon, table salt

⅛ teaspoon, baking powder

Pinch , baking soda

½ cup (3½ ounces), granulated sugar

1 , large egg

2 tablespoons, unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons, vegetable oil

Directions

FOR THE TOPPING: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease 6-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Pour melted butter over bottom of pan and swirl to evenly coat. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in small bowl and sprinkle evenly over melted butter.

Peel, halve, and core pear. Cut pear halves into 3 wedges each. Arrange pears, tapered ends pointing inward, in staggered horizontal lines in cake pan.

FOR THE CAKE: Process walnuts, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in food processor until walnuts are finely ground, about 20 seconds. Transfer walnut mixture to bowl.

Process sugar and egg in now-empty processor until very pale yellow, about 2 minutes. With processor running, add melted butter and oil in steady stream until incorporated. Add walnut mixture and pulse to combine, 4 to 5 pulses. Pour batter evenly over pears (some pear may show through; cake will bake up over fruit).

Bake until center of cake is set and bounces back when gently pressed and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully run paring knife or offset spatula around sides of pan. Invert cake onto wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet; discard parchment. Let cake cool for about 1½ hours. Transfer to serving platter, cut into wedges, and serve.

Nutrition

• Calories: 1916