Brown Butter Pear Cornmeal Cake with Salted Maple Cream
Brown butter gives this golden cornmeal cake a nutty depth, while pears soften across the top as it bakes. This generous version is made in a 10-inch springform pan for a thicker slice. Serve it with softly whipped salted maple cream, spooned alongside just before eating.
- Prep
- 35 minutes, including butter cooling and whipping cream
- Bake
- Approximately 50 minutes; check from 40 minutes
- Cool
- Approximately 1 hour, including 15 minutes in the pan
- Total
- Approximately 2 hours 25 minutes, including cooling
- Serves
- 12 to 16
What You'll Need
For the Cake
- 20 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 ripe but firm pears, cored and thinly sliced
For the Salted Maple Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Equipment
- 10-inch springform pan, at least 3 inches deep (approximately 16 cups capacity to the rim); fill no more than two-thirds full
- Light-colored saucepan
- Heatproof bowl and mixing bowls
- Whisk and rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet and a small oven-safe dish for any excess batter
- Cake tester or skewer and cooling rack
- Chilled bowl and hand mixer or whisk for the maple cream
The Simple Method
Brown the Butter
Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, as it foams and then begins to smell nutty. When the milk solids at the bottom turn deeply golden, immediately pour the butter into a heatproof bowl, scraping in all the browned solids. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not strain or discard the solids.
Prepare the Pan
Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan at least 3 inches deep and line the bottom with parchment. Set the pan on a baking sheet. A pan of these dimensions holds approximately 16 cups to the rim, with about 10½ cups available below the two-thirds line. Actual pans vary, so check yours before filling.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and kosher salt.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs until smooth and slightly lighter. Whisk in the yogurt, milk and vanilla. Slowly whisk in the cooled brown butter, including all the browned solids.
Make the Batter
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. Spread the batter into the prepared pan, keeping it below two-thirds full and allowing room for the pears. If your pan cannot accommodate it, bake excess batter separately in a buttered oven-safe dish; begin checking that smaller portion earlier.
Add the Pears
Arrange the pear slices on top only, overlapping them lightly across the surface. Do not fold fruit into the batter or press it down. Use 2 to 3 pears, the original fruit quantity, not twice that amount. Keep the filled pan no more than two-thirds full.
Bake
Bake at 350°F, beginning to check around 40 minutes. Christina’s cake took approximately 50 minutes in an oven that tends to run cool; use the doneness cues rather than the clock. The edges should be golden, the center set and spring back lightly, and a tester inserted into cake rather than fruit should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Allow additional time if needed. If the top browns before the center is ready, loosely tent it with foil.
Cool the Cake
Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes before releasing the springform ring. Continue cooling until cooled or barely warm before slicing, allowing approximately 1 hour total cooling time, or longer if needed. Do not serve the maple cream against hot cake.
Whip the Salted Maple Cream
In a chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy whipping cream, maple syrup, vanilla and fine sea salt together until soft peaks form. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Bring It to the Table
Serve slices of cooled or barely warm cake with the salted maple cream spooned alongside just before eating, rather than spreading it over the whole cake.
A Few Things That Make This Easier
Fine cornmeal matters.
Use fine yellow cornmeal. Coarse cornmeal can make a delicate cake noticeably gritty.
Choose firm-ripe pears.
Very soft pears can release too much liquid. Keep the fruit at 2 to 3 pears and arrange it on top only.
Keep the browned solids.
The deeply golden milk solids carry the brown-butter flavor. Transfer them with the butter and remove it from the hot saucepan promptly so it does not continue cooking.
Check the pan.
This doubled batter needs a deep 10-inch springform pan. Use one at least 3 inches deep and never fill it beyond two-thirds, including the fruit. Pan capacities vary; bake any excess separately rather than overfilling.
About the timing.
Begin checking at 40 minutes. Approximately 50 minutes was Christina’s result in a cool-running oven, not a guaranteed baking time. A set center, light springback and a tester without wet batter are the deciding cues.
Prepare the cream.
Keep the bowl and cream cold, stop at soft peaks and refrigerate until serving. Spoon it beside each slice of cooled or barely warm cake.
Store separately.
Keep the unfrosted cake covered at cool room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Refrigerate the maple cream in a covered container and use within 2 days. Refrigerate cream promptly and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours. Gently whisk if it settles.
More from the Kitchen
Hidden & Seen
Brown Butter Pear Cornmeal Cake with Salted Maple Cream
Brown butter gives this golden cornmeal cake a nutty depth, while pears soften across the top as it bakes. This generous version is made in a 10-inch springform pan for a thicker slice. Serve it with softly whipped salted maple cream, spooned alongside just before eating.
- Prep
- 35 minutes, including butter cooling and whipping cream
- Cook
- Approximately 50 minutes; check from 40 minutes
- Total
- Approximately 2 hours 25 minutes, including cooling
- Servings
- 12 to 16
- Cool
- Approximately 1 hour, including 15 minutes in the pan
What You'll Need
For the Cake
- 20 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 ripe but firm pears, cored and thinly sliced
For the Salted Maple Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Equipment
- 10-inch springform pan, at least 3 inches deep (approximately 16 cups capacity to the rim); fill no more than two-thirds full
- Light-colored saucepan
- Heatproof bowl and mixing bowls
- Whisk and rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet and a small oven-safe dish for any excess batter
- Cake tester or skewer and cooling rack
- Chilled bowl and hand mixer or whisk for the maple cream
The Simple Method
01 · Brown the Butter
Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, as it foams and then begins to smell nutty. When the milk solids at the bottom turn deeply golden, immediately pour the butter into a heatproof bowl, scraping in all the browned solids. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not strain or discard the solids.
02 · Prepare the Pan
Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan at least 3 inches deep and line the bottom with parchment. Set the pan on a baking sheet. A pan of these dimensions holds approximately 16 cups to the rim, with about 10½ cups available below the two-thirds line. Actual pans vary, so check yours before filling.
03 · Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and kosher salt.
04 · Mix the Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs until smooth and slightly lighter. Whisk in the yogurt, milk and vanilla. Slowly whisk in the cooled brown butter, including all the browned solids.
05 · Make the Batter
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. Spread the batter into the prepared pan, keeping it below two-thirds full and allowing room for the pears. If your pan cannot accommodate it, bake excess batter separately in a buttered oven-safe dish; begin checking that smaller portion earlier.
06 · Add the Pears
Arrange the pear slices on top only, overlapping them lightly across the surface. Do not fold fruit into the batter or press it down. Use 2 to 3 pears, the original fruit quantity, not twice that amount. Keep the filled pan no more than two-thirds full.
07 · Bake
Bake at 350°F, beginning to check around 40 minutes. Christina’s cake took approximately 50 minutes in an oven that tends to run cool; use the doneness cues rather than the clock. The edges should be golden, the center set and spring back lightly, and a tester inserted into cake rather than fruit should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Allow additional time if needed. If the top browns before the center is ready, loosely tent it with foil.
08 · Cool the Cake
Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes before releasing the springform ring. Continue cooling until cooled or barely warm before slicing, allowing approximately 1 hour total cooling time, or longer if needed. Do not serve the maple cream against hot cake.
09 · Whip the Salted Maple Cream
In a chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy whipping cream, maple syrup, vanilla and fine sea salt together until soft peaks form. Keep refrigerated until serving.
10 · Bring It to the Table
Serve slices of cooled or barely warm cake with the salted maple cream spooned alongside just before eating, rather than spreading it over the whole cake.
A Few Things That Make This Easier
Fine cornmeal matters.
Use fine yellow cornmeal. Coarse cornmeal can make a delicate cake noticeably gritty.
Choose firm-ripe pears.
Very soft pears can release too much liquid. Keep the fruit at 2 to 3 pears and arrange it on top only.
Keep the browned solids.
The deeply golden milk solids carry the brown-butter flavor. Transfer them with the butter and remove it from the hot saucepan promptly so it does not continue cooking.
Check the pan.
This doubled batter needs a deep 10-inch springform pan. Use one at least 3 inches deep and never fill it beyond two-thirds, including the fruit. Pan capacities vary; bake any excess separately rather than overfilling.
About the timing.
Begin checking at 40 minutes. Approximately 50 minutes was Christina’s result in a cool-running oven, not a guaranteed baking time. A set center, light springback and a tester without wet batter are the deciding cues.
Prepare the cream.
Keep the bowl and cream cold, stop at soft peaks and refrigerate until serving. Spoon it beside each slice of cooled or barely warm cake.
Store separately.
Keep the unfrosted cake covered at cool room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Refrigerate the maple cream in a covered container and use within 2 days. Refrigerate cream promptly and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours. Gently whisk if it settles.
Christina's Note
When I made the pear version, I doubled the batter in my 10-inch springform pan to get the thickness I wanted. The pears stayed at the original quantity because they sit on top. That is the version you’ll find here, with maple cream alongside.