• Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Caramel Topping

• Combine 2 oz unsalted butter, 1 oz brandy, 6 oz brown sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in a 12" cast iron skillet. Heat until the butter is melted and the mixture just begins to boil.
• Place as many of the pear slices as you can fit into the caramel and cook until the bottoms are beginning to brown. Flip the pears over. Add more pears as the pears in the pan shrink and make more room. Continue to cook until the pears are tender about ½ way through. Turn off the heat and set aside while preparing the batter

Batter

• Sift 10 oz all purpose flour, 3 oz cake flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cloves and ¼ teaspoon table salt into a bowl and set aside. Mix 9 oz molasses and 8 oz water together and set aside.
• Cream 4 oz unsalted butter and 4 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. Gently pour the batter over pears and smooth to an even layer.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is puffed and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 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.