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Upside Down Honey Pear Cake

Daniela
Upside down honey pear cake with a cinnamon swirl in the middle
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Equipment

  • 9" cake pan

Ingredients
  

For the Cake:

  • 2 pears
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 stick butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar for the swirl
  • 2 tsp cinnamon for the swirl

For the Caramel:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 4 tbsp butter

Instructions
 

To make the Caramel:

  • In a sauce pot stir in all the caramel ingredients. Make sure to brush sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush so the sugar crystals don't form.
    Bring to a low boil and cook until the sugar mixture starts getting darker around the edges, about 6-8 minutes, stirring the pan once or twice so it cooks evenly. Cook until the mixture turns light to medium amber color and keep an eye on it because towards the end it darkens pretty quickly. Turn off the heat and mix in the butter.
    Pour into the 9" cake pan.

To make the cake:

  • Thinly slice the pears and arrange them in circles on top of the caramel in the pan while the caramel is still warm.
    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    Mix the butter and the sugar in stand up kitchen mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, and then the honey and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Add half of it to the butter and egg mixture and mix for a few seconds, then add the milk and lastly rest of the flour mixture. Do not over mix.
    In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the swirl.
  • Carefully add half the cake batter to the pan with caramel and pears, taking care not to move the pears. Sprinkle generously with the sugar and cinnamon mix then add rest of the batter to the pan. Spread the batter evenly with a spatula and then bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean or just with a few crumbs on it.
    Let cool in pan for ten minutes and then carefully invert it on a cake serving platter. Let cool completely before serving.
Keyword cinnamon swirl, honey cake, honey pear cake, pear cake, thanksgiving dessert, upside down cake, upside down honey pear cake