• Cake:
  • Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pan
  • Flour for dusting the pan
  • 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
  • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 5 medium pears, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (5 cups sliced)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or raisins
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Topping:
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out excess flour. Set the pan
aside.

2. Place the cake mix, melted butter, eggs, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture just comes together into a stiff dough, 1 minute. Using wet fingertips, press the dough evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan, so that it reaches the sides of the pan. Set the pan aside.

3. Place the pear slices in a medium-size glass mixing bowl and place in the microwave oven (see “the Cake Doctor says,” below). Cook, uncovered, on high power for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl and stir the pear slices. Return the bowl to the oven and cook on high power for 2 minutes more. Remove the bowl and pour the pears over the crust, spreading them evenly with a spoon. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the pears. Sprinkle the nuts and cinnamon over the brown sugar.

4. For the topping, place the sour cream, egg, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine, and then pour the mixture over the top of the cake so that it has a drizzled effect and isn’t spread neatly from edge to edge. Place the pan in the oven.

5. Bake the cake until the sour cream topping firms up and the cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.

6. Slice the warm buckle into pieces and, using a metal spatula, remove them from the pan to a serving platter. Serve warm.

* Store this cake, covered in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Before serving, open the foil and reheat the cake in a preheated 300°F oven until warmed through.