Pear Breakfast Cake


 * Recipe makes eight servings.

Ingredients

 * 1 large ripe but firm pear
 * freshly ground black pepper (optional)
 * 2 large eggs
 * ¾ cup sugar
 * ½ teaspoon vanilla
 * ⅔ cup brown rice flour
 * ⅓ cup cornstarch
 * ½ teaspoon baking powder
 * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 * powdered sugar

Directions

 * 1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
 * 2) Grease a 10 x 8 x 2 inch ceramic baking dish with butter.
 * 3) Peel, core and dice the pear.
 * 4) Spread in baking dish and top with a light grinding of black pepper, if desired.
 * 5) Beat eggs and sugar until pale in color and very thick.
 * 6) Add vanilla.
 * 7) Combine rice flour, cornstarch and baking powder.
 * 8) Sift over egg mixture and fold in.
 * 9) Drizzle oil around edge of bowl and fold in.
 * 10) Spread batter over diced pear.
 * 11) Bake for 35 minutes.
 * 12) A pale gold, crackly "sugar bloom" - like a very thin layer of pastry - will form on top of the cake.
 * 13) Dust with powdered sugar before serving from the dish, warm or cold.