Buttermilk Spice Cake with Pear Compote and Crème Fraîche

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour 
• 0.5 teaspoon double-acting baking powder (scant)
• 0.3 teaspoon baking soda 
• 3  bosc pears cored peeled quartered cut into 1/2-inch cubes ()
• 0.8 cup buttermilk 
• 0.3 cup cornstarch 
• 1.5 cups crème fraîche 
• 2 large eggs 
• 0.1 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 0.1 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 0.1 teaspoon ground pepper black
• 1 tablespoon juice of lime fresh
• 0.3 teaspoon lime zest finely grated
• 10 servings powdered sugar 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.1 teaspoon ground star anise whole
• 0.8 cup sugar 
• 0.5 cup butter unsalted room temperature (1 stick)
• 1 piece vanilla pod split

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• baking paper
• oven
• wire rack
• sieve
• blender

Directions

1. Mix sugar, lime juice,and salt in heavy large saucepan.
2. Addpears and toss gently to coat. Cover andcook over medium-low heat until pearsare just tender, stirring occasionally,10 to 12 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to bowl.DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chilluntil cold, then cover and keep chilled.
4. Preheatoven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diametercake pan with 2-inch-high sides;line pan with round of parchment paper. Siftfirst 9 ingredients into medium bowl. Usingelectric mixer, beat butter in large bowluntil fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beatinguntil smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time,beating to blend between additions. Scrapein seeds from vanilla bean and add limepeel; beat to blend. Beat in flour mixture in4 additions alternately with buttermilk in3 additions, scraping down bowl occasionally.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
6. Bake cake until beginning to brown ontop and tester inserted into center comesout clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake inpan on cooling rack. DO AHEAD: Cake canbe made 1 day ahead. Cover and let standat room temperature.
7. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake.Turn cake out onto rack; peel off parchmentand turn right side up onto platter. Siftpowdered sugar over.
8. Cut into wedges.
9. Serve with pear compote and dollop ofcrème fraîche.
10. * A brown, star-shaped seedpod that’savailable in the spice section of somesupermarkets and at specialty foods storesand Asian markets.
11. ** Available at most supermarkets and atspecialty foods stores.
12. Grind the star anisepods in a spice mill, then strain through afine sieve. Use only the most finely groundstar anise in the cake. Or you can buyground star anise at penzeys.com.
13. Bon Appétit