Pear Upside-Down Gingerbread Cake

Submitted by Kathy

"I found this recipe in a magazine several years ago and finally made it last month. It is a very pretty gingerbread cake that tastes delicious."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 20
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1 lb pear
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled, grated, divided
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1⁄2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1⁄4 teaspoon clove
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

• Garnish

• mint leaf (optional)
• raspberries (optional)

directions

1. Heat oven to 350 F Peel, core, and slice pears lengthwise into 1/4" slices.
2. Combine 1 Tbls ginger, lemon juice, and pear slices.
3. Coat a 9" x 2" round cake pan with cooking spray; sprinkle with granulated sugar.
4. Arrange pears in bottom of pan in a circular pattern.
5. Combine brown sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended.
6. Beat in egg.
7. Add buttermilk, molasses, and 1 Tbls ginger; beat until well blended.
8. Combine flour and remaining ingredients EXCEPT powdered sugar.
9. Add flour mixture to batter; stir until well blended.
10. Pour over pears.
11. Bake 40 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.
12. Cool in pan 20 minutes on wire rack.
13. Sprinkle a serving plate with powdered sugar.
14. Invert cake onto serving plate.
15. When completely cool, garnish with mint leaves and raspberries.

Reviews

[Lucky in Bayview]

Loved this! It's not only delicious, but beautiful. I thought the cake would dense but it had the consistency of sponge cake, nice and light. I loved the fresh zing of the ginger pear combo and it wasn't overly sweet.I baked it in a black cake pan lined with parchment paper and took it out at 30 mins. Perfect! Thanks for posting the keeper.

 

[Busters friend]

A most delicious easy-to-throw together little cake (even without the lovely garnishes)! Such a perfect size for a small household too! I sifted the dry ingredients before mixing with the wet but otherwise stayed on-track with the recipe. It was so hard to wait the 20 minutes before plating as it smelled so wonderful! DH & I each enjoyed a generous wedge with our afternoon coffee - and it was delicious! Thank you "Kathy" for a lovely little sleeper keeper - we will use it over & over!

 

[Maven in the Making]

This is SO good! Loved the pears, lemon and ginger on the top and the sugar-dusted pan made such an awesome texture! Really fabulous recipe! (I have to say I was nervous about the 1/4 tsp. of dry mustard, but I made it as the recipe said and it was amazing!) Thanks for posting this recipe. We'll be making it over and over!

 

[Sydney Mike]

Great cake, great taste! The taste combo of gingerbread & pears suited my taste buds to a T! Will definitely be making this one again & again! Thanks for the recipe! [Made & reviewed as a tagged bonus in Aus/NZ Recipe Swap #14, Mar 08]

 

[LanieShell]

This is a terrific cake. I made it on thanksgiving everyone loved it,i think I made it atleast 10 times since.