Upside Down Cherry Pear Cake Food

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 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-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.

CHERRY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan and set aside.
• Prepare cake mix according to directions on the box and pour into prepared 9x13 pan.
• Mix remaining ingredients until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved.
• Pour or gently spoon cherry mixture over batter.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes.
• Serve topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet; stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat, gently swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until light amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Toss the cherries with the lemon juice and arrange over the caramel; set the skillet aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and the remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter over the cherries and spread evenly.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if the cake is browning too quickly.) Let sit 15 minutes, then invert onto a platter and let cool completely.

PEAR AND GINGER UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• First, prepare the pan. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, Line the pan with a 10-inch round of cooking parchment, pressing into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides.
• Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into about 1/4-inch chunks and drop evenly over the parchment in the pan bottom. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup brown sugar and the crystallized ginger.
• Peel the pears and cut in half, lengthwise. Then, slicing perpendicular to the cut edge, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. With a paring knife, cut the core from each slice. Arrange the slices flat, in a single layer, over the sugar mixture in the pan, trimming pieces as needed to fit.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and allspice.
• In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the remaining 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar until well blended.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to medium-low and beat in molasses.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beating until incorporated, then beat on high speed just until well blended. Pour batter over pears.
• Bake at 325 degrees F until a toothpick inserted in the center (but not in the fruit) comes out clean, about 1 hour and 35 to 40 minutes (cake center may settle slightly).
• Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan sides. Place a platter over the cake, then, holding the two together, turn both over, so the cake is right-side up. Carefully remove pan bottom and parchment. 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.

SWEET CHERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a 9-inch cake pan (or cast-iron skillet), add the cherries, brown sugar, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and 2 tablespoons melted butter; toss gently to combine. Place in the oven for up to 10 minutes to begin softening the cherries while you make the cake batter.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, sour cream, vanilla and baking soda with the remaining 6 tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Sprinkle the flour over top then fold it in until evenly combined and a thick batter is formed.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a medium mixing bowl with a handheld electric beater, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes or until stiff. Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites to the cake batter and gently fold, then add the remaining egg whites and fold until fully incorporated, trying to keep as much air as possible in the whites.
• Remove the hot pan from the oven, shake it gently to toss the fruit a final time, then dollop the cake batter over the top, and gently spread it evenly to the edges. (It's OK if some fruit juice or cherries pool over the edges of the batter.)
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, run a butter knife around the edges, and then allow it to rest for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a lipped platter to catch any juices.
• Once the cake has cooled, make the lemon whipped cream, if desired: In the cleaned bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a medium mixing bowl using a handheld beater, add the heavy cream, lemon juice and granulated sugar, and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to thicken and combine, then turn the speed to high and beat until desired stiffness.
• Serve the cake at room temperature, with lemon whipped cream, if using.

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.

CHERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Drain cherries, reserving liquid in a 1-cup measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 1 cup; set aside for sauce., In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Pour into a 9-in. round baking pan coated with cooking spray., For cake, in a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Spread over cherry mixture., Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate., For sauce, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add reserved cherry juice mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in food coloring if desired. Serve with warm cake.