Pear Upside Down Graham Cake Recipes

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 GRAHAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pan with 2-inch sides and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
• Add butter pieces to the pan. Place in the preheating oven until melted. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Arrange sliced pears in a circular pattern over the butter and brown sugar. Set aside.
• Whisk graham flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.
• Combine butter, brown sugar, oil, and honey in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat for 1 minute. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk; beat briefly after each addition.
• Pour batter carefully over the pears. Smooth the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and peel off parchment paper. Allow to cool completely.

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 AND CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cut a rectangle out of waxed paper to fit an 8x12-inch cake pan. Spray the pan with cooking spray, then place waxed paper liner over the bottom.
• Melt butter in a large skillet. Add 2 cups sugar and cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is bubbling, about 3 minutes. Add pear slices; reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and add cranberries.
• Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg together in a bowl.
• Combine remaining 2 cups sugar, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in another bowl using a hand mixer until cake batter is smooth. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in walnuts.
• Pour pear-cranberry mixture into the prepared cake pan. Use a spatula to spread cake batter evenly on top of fruit.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Place a platter on top of the cake pan and carefully flip the pan and platter over, allowing the cake to settle on the platter. Lift cake pan off and serve.

FRESH PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Combine butter and sugar in 8-inch cake pan.
• Melt butter over low heat and spread evenly over bottom of pan.
• Pare fruit and slice lengthwise.
• Remove core and slice thinly lengthwise.
• Arrange slices in a circle in pan and sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Beat egg yolks well.
• Add syrup and beat more.
• Stir in vanilla and melted shortening.
• Sift together and stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
• Stir in bran.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into batter.
• Spread over pears.
• Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes and turn out onto plate while still very warm.
• Serve with whipped or ice cream (optional).

UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in brown sugar. Spread over bottom of a greased 9-in. round baking pan. Arrange pears over top., For cake, mix milk and vinegar; let stand 5 minutes. In a large bowl, beat egg, brown sugar, molasses, melted butter and milk mixture until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, salt and cloves; gradually beat into molasses mixture. Spoon carefully over pears., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, if desired.

CLASSIC PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and 3/4 cup butter; beat at low speed until crumbly. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well at medium speed after each addition. Add vanilla; beat well. Add flour, cornmeal and baking powder; mix well.
• Place 1/4 cup butter in 9-inch round cake pan. Heat in oven for about 4 minutes or until butter is melted. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pear slices over mixture in pan, slightly overlapping. Spoon and carefully spread cake batter over pears.
• Bake at 350°F. for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Serve warm or cool with whipped cream.

GINGER-PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place 1/3 cup butter in a 9-inch square pan and set in the preheating oven to melt, about 5 minutes.
• Stir molasses, brown sugar, and ginger into the melted butter. Arrange pears cut-side down over mixture.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Add milk, 1/3 cup butter, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg until combined, about 2 minutes. Pour batter over pears.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pan; place a plate on top of the cake and flip carefully.

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.

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.

PERFECT PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter with 1/4 cup sugar in a 12-inch cast-iron or large skillet over medium. Arrange pears in a circular fashion, around the edge of the pan. Cook, without turning pears, until pears are golden underneath, 18 to 20 minutes (rotating pan as necessary for even browning).
• In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; whisk to combine. In a medium bowl, combine remaining sugar, eggs, buttermilk, applesauce, oil, and vanilla; whisk to combine. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and whisk until just combined.
• Pour batter over pears; spread to cover. Transfer to the oven; bake until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and turn out onto a serving platter.

PEAR AND GINGER UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Sift flour and next 8 ingredients into medium bowl. Combine milk and vanilla in glass measuring cup. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until lightly and fluffy. Add egg and beat until will blended. Add molasses and beat will. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Arrange pears in bottom of prepared pan. Pour batter over.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool 10 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out into rack and cool slightly. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)
• Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

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.

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-square cake pan; set aside. In a large bowl, toss pears with lemon juice. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Add half the pears, cut sides down, in single layer; cook until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn pears over; cook other sides until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked pears to a plate. Cook remaining pears; transfer to plate. To pear juices in skillet, add brandy, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Cook, stirring, until reduced to syrup, about 1 minute. Pour into cake pan; swirl to spread. Starting in one corner of pan, fan out pears in single layer; arrange so the tapered sides lie in same direction. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; set aside. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat remaining 8 tablespoons butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar; beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs; beat to combine. Beat in molasses and grated ginger.
• Add half of flour mixture; combine on low speed. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and boiling water; beat into batter. Beat in remaining flour mixture until combined. Pour into pan; bake 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. bake until springy to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Run a knife between pan and cake. Invert cake onto a serving plate. Arrange pears as needed, and serve.