Skillet Cinnamon Pear Coffee Cake. Sprinkled With Jules

This Skillet Cinnamon Pear Coffee Cake is the perfect breakfast. It's full of cinnamon and brown sugar, and studded in pears. It's slightly denser than a normal cake, hence the name coffee cake. Though that's not to say it isn't fluffy and moist, it definitely is.

The burst of cinnamon flavor is delightful, and the occasional pear slice is just perfect. I was elated with how this cake came out. It was one of those Friday afternoon inspiration from on high things. I think I get most of my inspirations on Friday afternoons at work when I'm counting down the hours till the weekend. Until I'm set free to bake my weekend away (and study my weekend away too). So the anticipation of that cherished time that's just asking to be used for something wonderful is all to inspiration-worthy.

Skillet Cinnamon Brown Sugar Pear Coffee Cake / Sprinkled With Jules

I didn't plan to call it a coffee cake, but that's what I'm going with. That's what it turned out to be! It's not something I'd put frosting on, and I ate it for breakfast so there's the proof. Coffee cake.

Baking it in the skillet turned out to be a great idea. The skillet holds heat more than your average cake pan, so it turns the edges a little more brown than the rest of the cake. It's a nice little addition of crispiness. Maybe crispiness isn't the right word, because that makes me think of potato chips. It isn't crunchy, but more like a crust. A caramelized-in-brown-butter crust.

I love the design of the cake. The spiral of peaches make me think of a windmill. What does it look like to you guys?

I originally planned to make this a spice cake, but I made it at Paul's and the only spice he had was cinnamon. I'm slowly trying to build up a nice little supply of baking necessities over there, but spices haven't made it yet! I do have an extra set of offset spatulas for cake frosting, and my old stand mixer. The important things, you know.

So thanks to the lack of nutmeg and cloves, this cake turned out a delicious cinnamon cake. Hiccups sometimes give way to great things! I guess in a way I can be glad for long Friday afternoons at work (YEAH RIGHT). They produce unexpected surprises like this. So don't thank me, thank "the man".

Skillet Cinnamon Pear Coffee Cake Recipe:

1 pear

1/2 c. butter + 2 T. for skillet

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

2 eggs

3/4 c. milk

Directions:

In the skillet, melt 2 T of butter over the stove until it browns. Swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and slice the pear. I sliced it into 8 pieces (cut in half, and cut each half into 4 equal pieces). Sprinkle some lemon juice if you're afraid they will brown. Set aside.

Mix in the vanilla, and eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Alternately mix in the flour and the milk mixture. Starting and ending with the flour mixture.

It will be a little thick. Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared buttered skillet, and smooth out to the edges. Try to smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Take the pears, and gently place them in the batter. I did a circular pattern, with the core side down. The batter should be thick enough to hold them in place.

Place the skillet in the oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, or with only a few crumbs.

Let cool for 30 minutes at least, and enjoy!