Ginger Pear Upside-Down Cake

Fruit-topped upside-down cakes have a retro hominess. Our recipe turns the pineapple classic on its head, substituting pears, and then lacing both the cake and its gooey topping with a warming flourish of ginger.

Tips for Making an Upside-Down Cake

To ensure a perfect upside-down cake, you always want to start with your desired toppings (like fruit or nuts) at the bottom of the pan. A well-mixed cake batter also goes a long way, creating a smooth texture throughout. When baking, avoid over-baking, as the cake should be slightly moist in the center when you remove it. It’s important that you do not flip the pan right out of the oven! Instead, allow the cake to cool completely before inverting to prevent sticking. To make the cake even easier to release, you can line the pan with parchment paper or grease it generously before building.

Ginger Pear Upside-Down Cake Recipe

Ginger Pear Upside-Down Cake Ingredients

For the topping: 

• 6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter 
• ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar 
• ½ tsp ground ginger 
• ¼ cup finely chopped candied crystallized ginger 
• 5 juicy-ripe medium pears, peeled, halved, and cored 
• Approximately 1/3 cup pecan halves 

For the cake: 

• 1½ cups sifted cake flour 
• ¾ tsp ground ginger 
• ¾ tsp baking powder 
• ¼ tsp baking soda 
• ½ tsp salt 
• 3 large egg yolks 
• ½ cup sour cream 
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract 
• ½ cup (1 stick) + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened 
• ¾ cup granulated sugar 

Pear Upside-Down Cake Instructions

1. Melt the butter for the topping in a 8 to 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium heat. 
2. Stir in the topping ingredients of brown sugar and ginger, and remove the pan from the heat.  
3. Arrange the pear halves, cut side up, in the skillet. Fit them snugly in concentric circles or in another pattern that pleases you. Tuck pecans in spaces between the pears. 
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
5. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  
6. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks with the sour cream and vanilla.  
7. Cream together the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the egg mixture and flour mixture in thirds, alternating the two. Mix for about 20 seconds following each addition, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  
8. Spoon the batter over the topping in the skillet, smoothing the surface. Bake for about 50 minutes, until nicely brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
9. Immediately run a knife around the sides of the cake and invert the skillet onto a serving plate. Leave the skillet in place over the cake for a couple of minutes, then carefully remove the skillet. This gives time for the caramelized topping to release fully from the skillet, but if any clings stubbornly, scrape it out and smooth it onto the cake. Cool for at least 10 additional minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.  

Adapted from American Home Cooking © 2000 by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison 

Story and Recipe by Cheryl Alters Jamison / Photography by Tira Howard / Styling by Keith Recker and Julia Platt Leonard

Special thanks to Brad Furry and Bradyn Furry for their help on this delicious photo shoot.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.