PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN GINGERBREAD CAKE

Pear Upside-Down Gingerbread Cake image

This gingerbread-based cake is both festive and homey thanks to the additions of pear and its upside-down make.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes

Yield Makes one 9-inch-square cake

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan.
5 large ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons brandy
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

Steps:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-square cake pan; set aside. In a large bowl, toss pears with lemon juice. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Add half the pears, cut sides down, in single layer; cook until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn pears over; cook other sides until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked pears to a plate. Cook remaining pears; transfer to plate. To pear juices in skillet, add brandy, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Cook, stirring, until reduced to syrup, about 1 minute. Pour into cake pan; swirl to spread. Starting in one corner of pan, fan out pears in single layer; arrange so the tapered sides lie in same direction. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; set aside. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat remaining 8 tablespoons butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar; beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs; beat to combine. Beat in molasses and grated ginger.
Add half of flour mixture; combine on low speed. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and boiling water; beat into batter. Beat in remaining flour mixture until combined. Pour into pan; bake 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. bake until springy to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Run a knife between pan and cake. Invert cake onto a serving plate. Arrange pears as needed, and serve.