Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Name: Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 cups powdered sugar; 3/4 cup butter, softened; 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup cornmeal; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 cup butter; 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar; 2 firm ripe pears, peeled, thinly sliced; Whipped cream, if desired

Ingredients:11
Servings:12

By Betty Crocker Kitchens(Opens in a new tab)Updated 03/02/2016

Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:11
Servings:12

Pear adds a twist to the usual upside-down cake – a delicious dessert.

Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Prep time:30 min
Total time:1 hr 35 min
Ingredients:11
Servings:12
Calories per serving:440

Ingredient

Cake

2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder

Topping

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 firm ripe pears, peeled, thinly sliced
Whipped cream, if desired

Instructions

Step 1
Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and 3/4 cup butter; beat at low speed until crumbly. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well at medium speed after each addition. Add vanilla; beat well. Add flour, cornmeal and baking powder; mix well.

Step 2
Place 1/4 cup butter in 9-inch round cake pan. Heat in oven for about 4 minutes or until butter is melted. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pear slices over mixture in pan, slightly overlapping. Spoon and carefully spread cake batter over pears.

Step 3
Bake at 350°F. for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Serve warm or cool with whipped cream.

Recipe Tips

Even the recipe for upside-down cake is upside-down - it begins with the topping. Sugar is sprinkled over melted butter in the pan bottom, then fruit is decoratively arranged over it. Finally, the batter is spooned on top. In the oven, the butter, sugar and fruit juices bake into caramel. When done, the hot cake is inverted so the pretty glazed fruit becomes the top. Pineapple is traditional for American upside-down cake; our version is prepared with pears.
Like bananas, pears are one of the few fruits picked before they are ripe. Unlike most fruit, both fruits improve in both texture and flavor after harvest. Choose pears without blemishes or soft spots, and store them at room temperature. Pears are best when they are ripe but still a bit firm.
Cornmeal adds rich flavor, and gives this cake a moist, dense texture.

Nutrition Facts

Calories
440
Total Fat
23g
Protein
4g
Total Carbohydrate
53g
Sugars
40g

Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1/12 of Recipe

Amount Per Serving Calories : 440

Nutrition Facts
Food Component / Nutrient	Amount	% , Daily Value*
Total Fat	23g	35%
Saturated Fat	13g	65%
Cholesterol	115mg	38%
Sodium	230mg	10%
Total Carbohydrate	53g	18%
Dietary Fiber	1g	4%
Sugars	40g	% Value Not Available
Protein	4g	% Value Not Available
Calcium	Value Not Available	6%
Iron	Value Not Available	8%
Vitamin A	Value Not Available	20%
Vitamin C	Value Not Available	0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Exchanges

Starch 1,
Fruit 2&½,
Other Carbohydrate 3&½,
Fat 4&½

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Recipe Tips

Even the recipe for upside-down cake is upside-down - it begins with the topping. Sugar is sprinkled over melted butter in the pan bottom, then fruit is decoratively arranged over it. Finally, the batter is spooned on top. In the oven, the butter, sugar and fruit juices bake into caramel. When done, the hot cake is inverted so the pretty glazed fruit becomes the top. Pineapple is traditional for American upside-down cake; our version is prepared with pears.

Like bananas, pears are one of the few fruits picked before they are ripe. Unlike most fruit, both fruits improve in both texture and flavor after harvest. Choose pears without blemishes or soft spots, and store them at room temperature. Pears are best when they are ripe but still a bit firm.

Cornmeal adds rich flavor, and gives this cake a moist, dense texture.

Nutrition Facts

Food Component / Nutrient

Amount

% , Daily Value*

Total Fat

23g

35%

Saturated Fat

13g

65%

Cholesterol

115mg

38%

Sodium

230mg

10%

Total Carbohydrate

53g

18%

Dietary Fiber

Sugars

40g

% Value Not Available

Protein

% Value Not Available

Calcium

Value Not Available

Iron

Value Not Available

Vitamin A

Value Not Available

20%

Vitamin C

Value Not Available

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Ingredient

Cake

Topping

Instructions

Recipe Tips

Nutrition Facts

Exchanges

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Related Products

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Related Recipes

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Bake Up Something Special

Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Ingredient

Cake

Topping

Instructions

Recipe Tips

Nutrition Facts

Exchanges

Related Products

Related Recipes

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