Pear Saffron Upside Down Cake from Martha Stewart

I have made this so many times that I will be really in a bad way if it is taken off the M.S. website. I USE BETTER BATTER FLOUR AND IT COMES OUT FINE.

INGREDIENTS

• Vegetable oil, cooking spray
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Comice pears, (6 to 7 ounces each)
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

DIRECTIONS

1. STEP 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square or round cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper, and set aside.

2. STEP 2

   Pulse saffron and 1/4 cup sugar in a spice grinder until well combined. Put butter and saffron sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Using a small offset spatula, spread mixture into prepared pan.

3. STEP 3

   Peel pears; halve lengthwise, and core. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange pears decoratively in pan over saffron-butter mixture.

4. STEP 4

   Whisk together flour, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, ground ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in another bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking. Stir in crystallized ginger.

5. STEP 5

   Spread batter over pears. Bake until set and a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Place a serving platter upside down over pan; flip to unmold cake. Peel off parchment.