Upside Down Pear Cake

We’ve all enjoyed cake from time to time. My family loves this upside down pear cake. I make it to bring to friend’s places and everyone loves it. It’s so easy to make and yet so delicious. It has become one of our favourite cakes to bake during pear season. I do enjoy baking and cooking simple things and this dessert recipe is one of those simple ones that I enjoy very much.

The Ingredients for Upside Down Pear Cake

Simple ingredients with the addition of pears and you have a delicious, moist, scrumptious dessert.

The Ingredient List for Upside Down Pear Cake:

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
• 2 Bosch pears 
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• rind and juice of 1 lime

---

Other Dessert ideas you will Like:

---

The Pears:

Let’s start with the pears and the caramel that the pears will be baked in to form the top of the upside down cake.

• Wash and core two Bosch pears.
• Slice them into 1/4 slices and set them aside.

The Caramel:

Because the caramel is what gives this upside down pear cake a delicious flavour, it’s a necessary step for this recipe. The caramel is the first thing to go into the pan you are using to bake. I use a 10-inch cast-iron pan to bake mine.

To make the caramel:

• I add 1/4 cup of unsalted butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar into the cast-iron pan.
• Then place the pan on medium low heat and allow the butter and sugar to melt.
• Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat. If you are using a baking dish, melt the butter and sugar in a pan and pour them into the baking dish.
• Now, we can arrange the pears on top of the caramel. You can make any kind of pattern you like here, or just lay them down randomly.

The Batter for Upside Down Pear Cake:

We are now ready to make the batter.

• In a large bowl, mix:
  • 1/13 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
• In a separate small bowl, mix 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup of milk, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix until the egg is well mixed into the rest. Alternatively, you can whip the egg separately and then mix it with the milk and oil.

I find using oil in this dessert recipe keeps it moist, yet light. Butter tends to make it heavier and a little dense. In the past, I have used vegetable oil as well as a mix of olive oil and vegetable oil. You can also use light olive oil by itself. It all works well in this recipe.

• Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and combine well to form a batter. Mix well so that the batter has a pourable consistency. Make sure to get rid of any lumps as they form.
• Finally, add the rind and juice of a lime to the batter and continue to mix to evenly spread them into the batter.
• Gently pour the batter on top of the pears and spread it evenly so that all the pears are covered, however, make sure that the pears don’t move.

Baking the Upside Down Pear Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Once the oven is ready, gently lift the cast-iron pan or baking dish and place it onto the middle rack of the oven. Allow it to cook for 40-45 minutes and check the readiness by inserting a toothpick or sharp knife into the center. The cake is ready if the toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the upside down pear cake to cool down for about 2-3 minutes. Then place a plate or platter on top of the cast-iron pan or baking dish and flip the upside down cake over onto the plate. There might be a little bit of sugary liquid on the bottom of the pan. If there is any, pour it on top and allow it to soak in.

Tips and Tricks:

• Allow your cake to sit for only about two or three minutes before you turn it right side around. If the cake sits in the cast-iron pan too long, the pears will stick to the bottom and break when you turn the cake.
•  Add some nuts such as toasted pecans or walnuts to the top of the cake for added flavour. They add a delicious nutty and crunchy flavour to the end product.

Serving Suggestions:

After turning it around and once the cake has cooled down for a few minutes, you are ready to enjoy it.

• I like to serve it with a side of French Vanilla ice cream.
• Or with fresh whipped cream
• My favourite is to serve it with a Praline and Cream type of ice cream.
• And of course with a cup of Coffee or my favourite Chai.

Tried and Liked the Recipe?

Scroll to the bottom of the page, and past the recipe to find the comment form. Please fill out details of what you liked and what you would like to see improved. Comments are loved! I look forward to hearing how much you enjoyed the recipe!

Stay Connected

Don’t forget to sign up for the free newsletter and be the first to learn about all my new recipes. And, don’t forget to follow me on my social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter.

---

Don’t forget to follow me: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.