Spicy Pear Upside-Down Cake
This is a perfect cake for a winter dessert. Sweet pears are nestled on top of a warm spice cake. Serve with sweetened whipped cream - Delicious.

Recipe type: Dessert | Upside-Down Cake
Serves: 6 to 8
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9" Round Layer Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Covered, Room Temperature
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Help: Cake Hints and Tips
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Ingredients
Topping:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pear syrup (from the drained pear halves)
- 1 can (1 pound) pear halves, drained, reserving 1 tablespoon syrup
Batter:
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup milk (preferably whole milk)
- ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Topping:
- Melt butter in a 9 inch round layer cake pan in warm oven. Remove pan from oven, add brown sugar, flour, and pear syrup; stir to combine and spread mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Place pear halves cut-side down on top of the brown sugar mixture.
Batter:
- In a large bowl, combine butter, egg, milk, brown sugar, and granulated sugar; whisk together until mixed. Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves; stir to mix.
- Bake: Pour batter evenly over pear halves. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until top springs back when pressed lightly in the center.
- Upside-Down: Place baking pan on wire cooling rack to cool for 3 minutes. Gently loosen the edges with a small kitchen knife. Invert onto a serving plate. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so the topping drips down onto the cake.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve warm or cool. If desired, serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Adapted from Pillsbury's Bake Off Dessert Cookbook 1968