Gingerbread Pear Upside-Down Cake
Gingerbread Pear Upside-Down Cake
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, which was adapted from
Adapted from Karen Bates at the Philo Apple Farm via the New York Times
Serves 12
Topping
4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing pan
1/2 cup (100g) dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
4-5 pears (about 1 3/4 pounds), cored and cut into slices
Batter
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, at cool room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup dark molasses
2 tbsp honey
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream
2 1/4 cups (10.15 oz) flour
2/3 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
Very softly whipped cream
Make the topping: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grease a 10-inch cake pan (do not use a springform pan). Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, four minutes, then swirl in salt. If the caramel separates, add small amounts of very hot water to reintegrate. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of your cake pan. Make circles of overlapping pear slices on top of the caramel. Chop the remaining slices and place them in the gaps.
Make the batter: Separate the eggs. In a large bowl, beat the egg white with 1/8 tsp cream of tartar. After a minute , add 2 tbsps sugar to egg white. Beat until soft peaks. Pour out of bowl into a small bowl. In the same large bowl, blend 1/2 cup butter and sugar on medium-low speed. Increase the speed to high and cream until light and fluffy. Add ground ginger, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well mixed.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, honey and sour cream. When well mixed, slowly add milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Alternate mixing the flour and molasses mixtures into the butter mixture, adding the next once the last has been incorporated. Fold in the egg whites, 1/3 at a time.
Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at least 45 to 50 minutes, in the middle or upper middle of an oven, or until the cake reaches 190 in the centre. Let cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a platter
Serve warm or cool with very softly whipped cream.