Pear Upside Down Cake with Bay Leaf Glaze

Pear Upside Down Cake with Bay Leaf Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
12 dried Bay leaves, divided
¾ cup butter, divided
¾ cup milk
1 tbsp pear brandy (or pear nectar, non alcoholic)
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, divided
2 firm ripe pears,peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Bring confectioners sugar, orange juice and 6 of the bay leaves to a
boil in a small saucepan on medium heat. Reduce heat to low.
Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand at room
temperature to thicken and cool. Microwave ½ cup (1 stick) of the
butter and milk in a medium microwavable bowl on high for ½ minute
or until butter is melted. Cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place remaining ¼ cup (1/2 stick)
butter in a 9 inch round cake pan with 2 inch sides. Place pan in oven
2-3 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir pear brandy into melted
butter. Sprinkle ¾ cup of the granulated sugar evenly over butter.
Arrange pear slices, and remaining 6 bay leaves in decorative pattern
in pan. Set aside.

Mix flour and baking powder in medium blow. Beat eggs, remaining 1
cup granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on
high speed 5 minutes or until very thick and pale in color, scraping
sides of bowl occasionally. Gradually add flour mixture alternately
with milk mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until
smooth. Pour evenly over pears and bay leaves in pan.
Bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean. Pierce cake deeply with large fork. Spoon ½ of the glaze over
cake. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto cake platter. Spoon
remaining glaze over pears. Cool before serving.