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 creme fraiche**

Method

  • 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:
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. 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:
  • 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. Cut into wedges. Serve with pear compote and dollop of creme fraiche.
  • **