Community recipe
Ginger-Pear Upside-Down Cake with a Buttery Brown-Sugar Glaze
Tender slices of pear bake into a glossy brown-sugar topping over a soft, warmly spiced cake. Turn it out while just warm for a simple, fragrant dessert that feels special but uses familiar pantry ingredients.
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
Get ready
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 pears, washed, dried, halved, cored, and sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powders
- 0.25 tsp fine salt
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 120 ml milks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Prepare the pan and melt the butter
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line its bottom with a round of parchment. Melt 6 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then take it off the heat. Measure out 2 tablespoons to coat the parchment and pan; set the remaining 4 tablespoons aside to cool until warm, not hot. | Why: A greased, lined pan helps the fruit release neatly, and cooling the butter keeps it from scrambling the eggs later.
- 02
Make the pear topping
Wash and dry 3 pears, then halve, core, and slice them about ¼ inch thick. Toss the slices with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Sprinkle 100 g light brown sugar evenly over the buttered parchment, then arrange the pear slices in overlapping circles over the sugar. Set the pan aside while you mix the batter. | Why: Thin, evenly arranged fruit cooks through and forms an attractive topping when the cake is inverted.
- 03
Mix the warmly spiced cake batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together 190 g all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp fine salt, ½ tsp ground ginger, and ½ tsp ground cinnamon. In a separate large bowl, whisk 150 g granulated sugar with 2 eggs until smooth and slightly lighter, about 1 minute. Whisk in 120 ml milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract, then whisk in the reserved warm melted butter. Add the dry mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain; the batter should be thick and smooth. Scrape it gently over the pears and spread it to the edges without disturbing their arrangement. | Why: Mixing the dry ingredients evenly and stopping as soon as the batter comes together keeps the cake tender and evenly spiced.
- 04
Bake until golden and set
Bake the pan on the center rack at 350°F (175°C) for 40–45 minutes, rotating it once after about 25 minutes if your oven browns unevenly. The top should be golden, the center should spring back lightly, and a toothpick inserted into the cake should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns before the center is done, loosely tent it with foil for the remaining bake. | Why: A fully set center supports the fruit topping and prevents a gummy layer beneath the cake.
- 05
Rest, invert, and serve
Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cake rest for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge, place a serving plate upside down over the pan, and carefully invert the two together. Lift off the pan and peel away the parchment. If a few pear slices stick, ease them back into place while the topping is still warm. Cool for at least 5 more minutes before slicing; serve warm or at room temperature. | Why: A brief rest lets the glaze settle, while turning the cake out warm helps it release in one piece.
