Description
This Pear Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake is a delightful and moist dessert featuring ripe, tender pears caramelized with brown sugar and cinnamon. The sweet, buttery caramel topping pairs perfectly with the soft, fluffy cake baked to golden perfection. Ideal for a comforting treat or a special occasion dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Topping
- 3 medium ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Prepare the pears: Peel, core, and slice the pears into thin wedges, setting them aside for the topping.
- Make the caramel topping: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon until fully combined and smooth. Pour this caramel mixture evenly into a greased cake pan.
- Arrange the pears: Neatly arrange the sliced pears over the caramel layer in the pan, ensuring even coverage.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and combine them with the vanilla extract and milk.
- Combine batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overmixing the batter.
- Pour batter over pears: Carefully pour the cake batter over the arranged pears, spreading it so it covers evenly.
- Bake the cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown.
- Cool and invert: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate so that the caramelized pears are on top, revealing the beautiful upside-down design.
Notes
- For best results, choose ripe but firm pears to maintain texture during baking.
- Ensure the pan is well greased to prevent sticking when inverting the cake.
- This cake can be served warm or at room temperature, excellent with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for 4 days.
