Recipes

Pear and cardamom upsidedown cake

Vanessa Greenwood
Sat Aug 6 2016 - 04:00
Serves: 6
Course: Dessert
Cooking Time: 0 hr 50 mins
Ingredients
  • 60g butter, in large chunks
  • 100g muscovado dark brown sugar
  • 7-8 cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground
  • 5-6 firm ripe pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (or 2 tins pears, drained)
  • 150g butter, softened
  • 150g soft brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs (or 3 medium), lightly whisked
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 175g self raising flour, sieved
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon (or ginger)
  • 1-2 tbsp milk
  • 150ml whipped cream
  • 60g butter, in large chunks
  • 100g muscovado dark brown sugar
  • 7-8 cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground
  • 5-6 firm ripe pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (or 2 tins pears, drained)
  • 150g butter, softened
  • 150g soft brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs (or 3 medium), lightly whisked
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 175g self raising flour, sieved
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon (or ginger)
  • 1-2 tbsp milk
  • 150ml whipped cream

Preheat an oven to 190 degrees/gas 5. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin using a single sheet of parchment paper to avoid any leaky gaps.

Scatter the butter over the base and warm it in the oven (watch it so it doesn’t burn). When melted, gently stir the dark brown sugar evenly into the butter, then evenly sprinkle with ground cardamom.

Starting from the outside in, arrange the pears in overlapping slices, in a circular pattern as neatly as possible over the mixture in the pan, finishing with pears in the centre (pat any leftover pears dry and add into the cake batter).

For the all-in-one method for the cake batter, in a wide mixing bowl whisk together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour and cinnamon, adding in just enough milk for a smooth batter.

Carefully pour the batter over the pears. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven (allow it to cool in the tin).

To serve, flip the cake upside down onto a dinner plate. Serve warm with whipped cream, crème fraîche, sheep’s yoghurt or ice cream.

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