Name: Buttermilk Spice Cake with Pear Compote and Crème Fraîche
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; Large pinch of salt; 3 Bosc pears (about 1 1/2 pounds total), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour; 1/4 cup cornstarch; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon (scant) baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/8 teaspoon ground whole star anise*; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature; 3/4 cup sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 3-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise; 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime peel; 3/4 cup buttermilk; Powdered sugar; 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche**

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Buttermilk Spice Cake with Pear Compote and Crème FraîchePatricia Heal

A light, tender cake thats perfectly spiced. Any leftovers would be delicious with coffee or tea the next day.

Test-kitchen tip:

Grind the star anise pods in a spice mill, then strain through a fine sieve. Use only the most finely ground star anise in the cake. Or you can buy ground star anise at penzeys.com.

Recipe notes

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