Buttermilk Spice Cake with Pear Compote and Crème Fraîche
One serving contains 360 calories, 4g of protein, and 18g of fat. This recipe serves 10. Only If you have cornstarch, lime juice, ground star anise, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. It is a good option if you're following a vegetarian diet. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 45 minutes.
Instructions
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.
Preheat oven to 350F. 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.
Serve with pear compote and dollop of crme frache.
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.