Pear Gingerbread Cake
This upside down Pear Gingerbread cake literally tastes & smells like the holidays! Caramelized pears with a hint of brandy are baked under lightly spiced gingerbread to create a perfectly warm and cozy cake.
Table of contents
One of my favorite go-to desserts is an upside down cake. I just love the contrast of gooey caramel, chunky fruit and soft cake.
Pears and ginger always work well together, so using gingerbread for the cake-part is an natural choice.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cake Flour – Low protein cake flour makes a soft and moist cake. If you don’t have cake flour use ¾ cup of all-purpose flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of corn starch for each cup of cake flour.
- Pears – Any ripe but firm pear works in this recipe.
- Brandy – The alcohol is optional. But remember, alcohol enhances other flavors. Use water or apple juice in place of the brandy. You can also use rum or bourbon.
The Process
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Cook the caramel in a cast iron skillet.
- Add the pears to the skillet.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar, add the egg.
- Alternate adding the flour and molasses to the batter.
- Gently dollop the batter over the pears.
- Spread the batter to an even layer.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Flip the warm cake onto a serving plate. (The cake can be baked several hours ahead and reheated in the oven before removing from the pan.)
- Use the tip of a paring knife to rearrange any pears that moved when the cake was flipped. If any pears stick in the pan, scrape them back onto the cake.
Storage
The cake is best still warm from the oven. It will keep, covered, at room temperature for a 2-3 days. After the first day, rewarm slices of cake in the microwave for the best flavor.
How to use a cake pan instead of a skillet
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet the cake can be baked in a buttered 9″x3″ round pan or 8″ or 9″ square pan. In a small pan, cook the caramel as instructed in the recipe. Pour the caramel into the cake pan the proceed with the recipe. You may need to adjust the baking time based on the pan you use.
Serving Suggestions
- I suggest you enjoy this Pear Gingerbread cake warm with a cup of coffee for breakfast.
- For dessert serve the cake with whipped cream, ice cream or a drizzle of brandy-spiked Crème Anglaise.
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Upside Down Pear Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
Caramel Topping
- 1 oz unsalted butter
- ½ oz brandy (1 tablespoons)
- 4 oz brown sugar (½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ lbs Pears (peeled, cored, cut into ⅛'s)
Cake Batter
- 9 oz Cake flour (2 cups, see note)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 6 oz molasses (½ cup)
- 4 oz water (½ cup)
- 3 oz unsalted butter
- 3 oz brown sugar (⅓ cup)
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
Caramel Topping
- Combine 1 oz unsalted butter, ½ oz brandy, 4 oz brown sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in a 10" cast iron skillet. Cook over medium heat until the butter and sugar are melted. Turn off the heat.
- Arrange the pear slices over the caramel.
Batter
- Sift 9 oz Cake flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves and ¼ teaspoon table salt into a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl or measuring cup mix 6 oz molasses and 4 oz water together and set aside.
- Cream 3 oz unsalted butter and 3 oz brown sugar until light and aerated. Scrape the bowl and add 1 large egg. Mix to combine. With the mixer running on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the molasses in 3 batches, scraping in between to remove lumps. Gently pour the batter over pears and smooth to an even layer.
- Slide the pan onto the middle rack of the oven. Place a piece of parchment paper or foil on the rack below the cake to catch any caramel that drips from the pan. Bake 35-40 minutes until the cake is puffed and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the pan.
- Run a paring knife or small spatula around the edges of the pan to make sure the cake isn’t sticking. Place a large serving platter over the pan and flip the cake, pear side up.
- If any pears stick to the pan simply lift them out with a spatula and place them back onto the cake. Enjoy warm.
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Hi Eileen. I just noticed my third time through this that in the second sentence in the 3rd step of the batter that a word is left out. I have assumed the word is “egg” and acted accordingly. You might want to check that out.
Oh, geez. Thanks for catching that, Jody! I’ve fixed the recipe instructions. Hope all is well with you.
This recipe also fits a 9×13 cake pan perfectly. It was fabulous.
I made the caramel topping in the oven and then placed pear wedges in rows and let them all bake until a little soft. I added candied and fresh ginger as well to the cake mix because we are a family of ginger lovers. It got better and better over 3 days. Then it was gone.
Thank you!
That sounds fabulous, Jody. More ginger is always better!
Can you leave out the Brandy or substitute something in its place?
You could use a little apple juice instead.
Bourbon is even better!