memory making through dessert.

today i am here sharing a dessert. way back in september, i think it was, i was reading molly (the post where she talks about leeks is the ref.) and she was talking about paris, and she flippantly threw in a comment about "a plain butter cake... that feels like a miracle." i, of course, immediately clicked on the link and found this. as far as my memory serves, i made it that night. and for the next few weeks. pears were in season, what was a girl to do?!

what i found was this; this is most simple and easy and delicious cake. plus, jackson helps me do the whole thing and loves every second of it. while i melt butter and measure baking powder, he gracefully arranges the sliced pears in the baking dish, which he also butters himself. donning my childhood painting apron, which he calls his "chef apron", he is happy to help make something and i am elated to let him. (plus its like impossible to mess up. i.e.- i made it with 2 CUPS of flour once and it still turned out okay.)

so here is the recipe. and neither molly (who i wish was my older sister because she is so eloquent and passionate and yes, i cry sometimes when i read her writing) nor chocolate and zucchini mention it, but i find that it is especially delightful if you top the cake with some gently sweetened, cinnamon whipped cream. (do NOT confuse this with cool whip people)


"Pear Butter Cake" slightly adapted from this recipe

1 cup butter, melted
2 pears, sliced 1/4 inch-ish thick (i thought 4 was way too many, plus my dish couldnt hold all that)
1 cup sugar (i like to do half brown, half white)
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup flour

optional:
heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

(whip it together, adding the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon after whipping for a minute or two, then finishing until it is light and fluffy)


preheat oven to 350. in a buttered pie dish, lay sliced pears in any sort of arrangement you feel necessary, just cover the bottom of the dish. mix sugar, eggs, b.p, and flour. add melted butter. pour over arranged pears. bake for 40-45 minutes. let cool, run a butter knife or spatula around the edge of the dish and depending on how well you buttered, maybe a little under the cake too. turn the cake out, slice yourself a piece of buttery goodness and top with the whipped cream.

so, there you go. make it. let your kids help, or if you have no kids, help yourself. also, if you do eat it outside, plug in some twinkling lights and eat it with a steamy mug of decaf java. really, i just gave you the perfect end to your day. thank me later.