Note:  Approximately 12 green cardamom pods will yield seeds to grind for the ½ teaspoon cardamom.  Using the seeds directly from the pods will intensify the cardamom flavor.  Purchased ground spices lose their potency within a few months of opening the jar.  Pensey's Spices carry the whole pod, whole seeds that you can grind or already ground. 

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

¾ cup brown sugar

2 ripe Comice or Bartlett pears

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

½ cup milk, room temperature

Optional: Vanilla Ice cream

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan and add the brown sugar.  Stir for a few minutes until melted.  Pour into a 9-inch round cake pan.  Peel the pears; cut in half and remove the core and stem.  Cut each half into ¼-inch thick slices crosswise.  Overlap the pear slices starting at the outer edge of pan and continue around until the pears cover the brown sugar mixture.  Set aside.

Beat the remaining 8 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add each egg beating well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla.  Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and ground cardamom.  On low speed, alternate adding the flour and milk to batter, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides and beat additional minute until completely combined.

Gently spread cake batter on top of the pears smoothing out to the edge of pan, making sure the cake batter fills in around the pears.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until deep golden brown and skewer inserted into center comes out clean.  Remove and set on a rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Run a small spatula or knife around the edge of pan and invert onto cake plate.  Leave cake in pan for 15 minutes then carefully remove pan.  Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.