This traditional moist Pear Upside Down Cake has sweet ripe pears and a caramel sauce at the heart of its flavour, along with a buttery vanilla sponge.
Pre heat the oven to 170C conventional. Grease an 18cm/7ins round cake tin or Tarte Tatin tin. An 8" tin is also fine. DO NOT use a loose-bottomed cake tin or you will lose all the lovely Toffee Sauce during baking. If you wish, line the base of the tin with a circular disc of baking parchment. This will make it easier to turn the cake out once it's baked and cooled.
Make the Caramel Sauce
Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until all the butter and sugar have dissolved. When it starts to bubble, simmer for a few minutes. Then take off the heat to cool a little.
Pour the sauce into the cake tin ensuring the base is evenly coated. Peel and slice the pears thinly and arrange them evenly over the top of the Caramel Sauce.
Make the Sponge Cake.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, add a little flour between each egg to help prevent curdling. Mix until well combined.
Add the vanilla and honey and fold in the remaining flour, ensuring everythin is mixed until well combined.
Spoon the mixture evenly over the pear and caramel topping.
Bake for 50 mins in the centre of the oven, or until baked. Testing the centre of the cake until it comes out clean. The sopnge should have a nice deep golden colour. If needed. Place a baking tray underneath to catch any Toffee Sauce that may ooze out over the tin.
Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool a little before turning out onto a large serving plate.
Serve with Cream, custard or a drizzle of honey if you wish.
Notes
Like many upside down cakes, their beauty can only be seen once you turn them out of their tins. Revealing beautifully arranged fruit underneath. Often with a buttery caramel sauce.I baked this recipe using an 18cm/7ins round cake tin or Tarte Tatin tin. But you can also use an 8inch tin, as long as it is deep enough to allow the sponge to rise a little.A shallow tin will not be suitable.DO NOT use a loose-bottomed cake tin or you will lose all the lovely Toffee Sauce during baking.This cake will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.You can freeze an upside down cake. Make sure it’s completely cooled first. Wrap in cling film or suitable freezer bag before placing it in the freezer.When ready to eat, remove the wrapping and place on a plate, in the fridge to defrost.I used a British Conference Pear, not only because of their length but because of their firmness. Making it much easier to slice thinly without them breaking up.
Keyword Caramel Sauce, Pear Cake, Upside Down Cake