Sticky Pear and Walnut Upside-Down Gingerbread

In 'Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey' by Jill O'Connor

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3⁄4 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2  ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1⁄3 cup  coarsely chopped walnuts

• Batter

• 1  cup all-purpose flour, plus
• 1  tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 2  teaspoons ground ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg
•  ground cloves, a pinch
• 1  large egg
• 3⁄4 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 6  tablespoons  dark unsulphered molasses
• 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
•  sweetened whipped cream

Directions

1. Position oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat oven to 350°; spray an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together and spread over the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle the pears and walnuts over the bottom of the pan; set aside.
4. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices into a big bowl.
5. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, molasses, buttermilk, and melted butter.
6. Gradually whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking only until combined.
7. Carefully pour the batter over the nuts and pears in the pan.
8. Bake until the top of the cake is firm and shiny and the sides are pulling away slightly from the pan, 35-45 minutes.
9. Remove the cake from the oven, place a large serving plate over the top of the cake, and turn it out onto the plate.
10. Remove the cake pan; if any nuts or pears are still stuck to the pan, carefully scrape them, and any of the sweet, sticky sauce onto the cake, smoothing it out with a knife.
11. Let the cake cool slightly, the cut into wedges.
12. Serve warm, dolloped with whipped cream or sweetened sour cream, if desired.