Chocolate Pear Upsidedown Cake
For the bottom of the pan:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 pears, peeled, cored, quartered, and poached in syrup. Optional to reserve 1/2 pear and cut into a fan for the center of the cake.
Cake batter:
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of bakin soda
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
For the bottom of the pan:In a heavy bottomed 10" iron skillet, melt the butter, add the brown sugar and make caramel. Add the poached pears and simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the caramel is bubbly and syrupy. Arrange the pears in a circular pattern with the fan in the center. Ladle out and reserve 1/4 cup of the caramel.
For the cake:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Pour the boiling water over the cocoa in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth, cool before using.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time, add vanilla.
Alternately add the cocoa and flour mixture to the batter.
Spread the batter over the pears in the skillet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes until done.
Let the cake cool a couple of minutes before unmolding.
Brush thge top of the cake with the reserved caramel, serve with whipped cream.