Ripe Pear Upside Down Cake Food

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together over low heat, stirring occasionally until dissolved. (Alternatively use your microwave at half power or less in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until melted. If you go longer or at a higher power setting, you may have a buttery mess on your hands. Consider yourself warned!)
• Pour caramel mixture into 9-inch round cake pan.
• Top with sliced pears, working from the inside to the outside, creating a spiraled pattern.
• In a medium mixing bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together milk, oil, egg, and vanilla until just blended.
• Add dry mixture to wet mixture and stir until just incorporated.
• Pour cake batter into pan over caramel and pears.
• Place cake in middle rack in oven. On a lower rack, place a large cookie sheet directly underneath the cake pan to catch any possible drips.
• Bake approximately 50-60 minutes, or until caramel has bubbled up around the sides, cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out with dry crumbs adhering to it.
• Remove from oven and let cake stand for approximately 10 minutes on a wire rack. (This is an important step: if you turn cake out too soon, some of the topping of your cake might fall apart; alternatively, if you turn cake out too late, you may not be able to get the cake out because the caramel will have cooled too much and stuck to the pan.)
• Flip cake out onto a serving dish and serve warm or cold.

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Make the topping: Melt butter in the bottom of a 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar, stirring until dissolved. Swirl to coat the bottom; remove from heat, and cool. Cut pears into 1/4-inch-thick wedges, and arrange them in a circular pattern over the brown-sugar mixture to cover completely; set aside.
• Make the batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract; beat to combine. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine.
• Alternating with the milk, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix, on low speed, just until the flour is incorporated.
• In a large bowl, beat reserved egg whites and the cream of tartar with a hand mixer until stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into the batter. Transfer to skillet. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly, being careful not to disturb the pears.
• Bake until well browned on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan, and immediately invert the cake onto a serving dish. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PEAR-PECAN UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Butter the inside of a 5-quart round slow cooker, then line it completely with a large sheet of foil and butter the foil. Turn the cooker on low. Sprinkle the cut-up butter and the brown sugar over the foil in the cooker. Add the pears, arranging them in a circle, cut-side down.
• Mix the flour, pecans, cornmeal, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. In the large bowl of a mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on low speed until just blended. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• With the mixer on low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed just until the batter is smooth. Spread over the pears in the slow cooker. Drape paper towels over the top of the slow cooker (not touching the cake) to prevent condensation from dripping onto the cake. Cover and cook on low until the cake sets and the sides brown, about 3 hours. Turn off the cooker and let the cake rest about 20 minutes.
• Lift the cake by the foil and place on a rack to cool. Carefully invert onto a platter and peel off the foil. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

MAPLE-PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter the bottom and side of a 9-inch round cake pan. Toss the pear wedges with 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a large bowl; set aside. Bring 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the water and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice to a simmer in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer, without stirring, until amber, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan, tilting to coat the bottom. Let cool, then top with the pears in a circular pattern.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, sour cream and maple extract in a large liquid measuring cup and stir until smooth. Beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the maple sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Reduce the mixer speed to medium and beat until thickened, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture in two batches. The batter may look slightly curdled; keep beating and it will smooth out.
• Pour the batter into the pan over the pears and smooth the top. Bake until the top of the cake is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 20 minutes in the pan. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, then invert onto a serving plate and let cool completely.

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cut pears lengthwise in half; remove cores, then cut pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange on bottom of 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Combine sugar and spice; sprinkle over pears. Top with cranberries.
• Beat next 5 ingredients with mixer until blended; pour over ingredients in pan.
• Bake 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool 10 min. Run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Place large platter over cake; invert cake onto platter. Gently remove pan. Cool cake slightly. Serve topped with COOL WHIP.

PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees F.
• Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and corn syrup and evenly coat the bottom and sides of a 10 inch glass pie plate with the mixture. When the almonds are cool, arrange around the bottom rim of the pie plate, with a few in the center, pressing them into the brown sugar mixture. Arrange the pear halves like spokes of a wheel on top of the brown sugar mixture.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the pastry flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and thoroughly mix.
• In another bowl, whisk together the softened butter, sour cream, egg yolks and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with an electric mixer at medium speed about 1 1/2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until thick and smooth.
• Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly over the fruit, building up the outside edges so the cake will be level when baked. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool 3 to 5 minutes (no longer) and then invert onto a serving plate, repositioning the fruit as necessary.

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Butter a 9-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. Toss pears with lemon juice; set aside.
• In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Add pears, cut side down, in a single layer. Cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Transfer to a plate.
• To the same saute pan, add the Poire William, and sprinkle with the rest of the granulated sugar. Cook until reduced to a syrup, about 1 minute. Pour into cake pan, coating the bottom. Place pears in pan, cut side down, arranging in a single layer (there may be a few leftover slices).
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar, and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, and continue beating to combine. Add molasses and fresh ginger. Gradually add flour mixture. In a small bowl, combine the baking soda and boiling water, beating with a fork. Add to the batter, and mix well.
• Pour batter into cake pan over the pears. Bake for 25 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees, and bake an additional 15 minutes, until cake springs back when touched in the center. Remove from oven. Cool for 1 hour, then invert onto serving plate. Serve with rum-raisin ice cream or rum-spiked whipped cream.

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

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

UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch (3" high) round cake pan.
• Sprinkle with brown or maple sugar.
• Cream 5 tablespoons butter (or margarine) with brown and white sugar.
• Add maple syrup and salt.
• Spread topping mixture into prepared pan.
• Press pear slices into sugar mixture, arranging them in a spoke design.
• Set aside while preparing cake batter.
• Sift together dry ingredients (flour-cinnamon). Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, cream 6 tablespoons and 1 cup brown or maple sugar together until light.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.
• Add sour cream, beating until smooth.
• Mix in maple syrup.
• Fold in flour mixture and then walnuts, if using.
• Pour batter into prepared pan (over pears).
• Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Run knife around cake and invert cake onto platter, leave pan on cake an additional 5 minutes before removing pan very carefully.
• Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream topping (recipe follows).
• To make whipped cream topping: Beat cream until soft peaks form.
• Add sugar and bourbon, if using.
• Continue beating until soft peaks form again.

APPLE-PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch square cake pan. Add butter and melt in a 350F oven.
• Stir in brown sugar and spread evenly in pan; sprinkle with pecans.
• Peel, core and thinly slice apples and pear, slicing pear horizontally; toss together and arrange evenly over sugar mixture.
• CAKE: In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
• Add butter, egg, buttermilk and vanilla.
• With electric mixer, beat on low speed until moistened; beat at medium speed for 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl.
• Spoon over fruit and spread evenly. Bake in a 350F oven for about 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool on rack for 20 mnutes.
• Run knife around edge of cake; carefully invert onto a plate, replacing any bits that may stick to pan. Serve warm.

GINGER PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with a 10-inch circle of parchment paper.
• To make the topping, combine 3 Tbs butter, ½ cup brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Melt the butter over medium heat for about 1 minute; then pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan, completely coating the parchment paper. Place the quartered pears on top of the butter-sugar mixture, lining the pieces up tightly in a decorative circle so that none of the bottom shows through.
• To make the batter, cut 2 sticks of butter into 1-inch pieces, and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add ¾ cup brown sugar, and cream the mixture on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, until it is smooth and a pale tan color. Add the grated ginger, and beat 1 minute more.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed and making sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding another. When all the eggs have been added, slowly pour in the molasses and beat to fully mix.
• In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to fully combine.
• Alternately add small amounts of flour and buttermilk to the batter, stirring and folding with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are just absorbed. Do not overmix the batter.
• Carefully transfer the pan to the center rack of the oven, and bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the cake's center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cover the pan with an upside-down serving plate; then carefully invert them together. Release the sides of the pan, and lift it away. Gently lift the pan's base off the cake, and peel away the parchment paper. Allow the cake to cool for a half hour or so, and serve warm, with whipped cream.

AMARETTO PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Butter six 1-¼ cup custard cups, ramekins, or giant muffin tins.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and honey; cook over low heat for about 2 minutes until mixture no longer separates.
• Divide mixture evenly between prepared dishes.
• Cut each pear into 12 wedges and place 4 wedges in the bottom of each dish; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat remaining 6 tablespoons butter until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
• Combine milk and Amaretto in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, then half of the liquid, beating well after each addition.
• Repeat until all ingredients are combined.
• Pour batter into the six prepared dishes, smoothing the top.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven and place on a rack for 10 minutes.
• Carefully flip each dish over onto serving plates to remove from dish.
• Serve immediately with lightly sweetened cream and toasted almond slices.

SPICED PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Pour melted butter into a 9-in. square baking pan; sprinkle with nuts and brown sugar. Arrange pears over nuts., In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Spread batter over pears. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE WITH ORANGE BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel, halve, and core the pears; set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Put ¼ cup of the butter into a 10 x 6 inch baking pan and place into the oven as it preheats. Remove from the oven when the butter is melted.
• Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter. Arrange the pears in a single layer over the brown sugar with the cut side down.
• In a large bowl, cream the remaining ½ cup butter with the granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla. Mix in the baking powder and salt. Add the flour alternately with the milk, mixing until the batter is smooth.
• Pour the mixture evenly over the pears. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert while warm onto a serving plate and serve warm with the orange butter sauce.
• While the cake bakes, make the sauce. Combine the orange juice, cornstarch, sugar, butter, and ginger in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium high heat, stirring. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove from the heat. Makes 6 servings.
• The Great Holiday Baking Book.