Ingredients
1cupall-purpose flour
¼cupsugar
1tspbaking powder
⅛tspsalt
¼cupunsalted butter,cold, cut into thick slices
¼cupmilk
1large egg
1tspvanilla
3tbspsugar
1tspcinnamon
3large pears,like Anjou, Bosc or Bartlett
whipped cream,for serving, optional
Preparation
Set a shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan or a 9-inch fluted tart tin with a removable rim. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until blended. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
In a measuring cup, lightly beat the milk, egg, and vanilla with a fork until blended. Add to the bowl of the food processor and process until the dough is smooth.
With the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula, spread the batter evenly in the cake pan.
Halve the pears. Use a melon baller to cut out the cores and remove the stem ends. Slice the halves into ¼-inch-thick slices.
In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon until combined.
Starting at the outside edge, arrange the pears over the batter in a circular pattern, overlapping them slightly to cover the batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, and the cake looks golden at the edges.
Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
Cut into slices from the pan and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream. Enjoy!
