Lemon-Pear Upside Down Gingerbread Cake

This warmly aromatic cake is perfect for holiday entertaining. My sister Sylvia ( the creative baker) made it with apples rather than pears, simply because she had apples available. 

When she sent me the electronic files containing the recipe and accompanying  photos, Sylvia mistakenly called the final product a gongerbread cake, which naturally appealed to me greatly. Gongerbread it is. 

Ingredients:

• Zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
• 3 large pears (or works nicely with apples), peeled, cored and sliced
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon dry ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

In a skillet over low heat, combine the lemon juice and zest with the wine and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar. Add the pears and bring to a slow simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the pears are just tender. Remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 350 F. Spray a tube pan with baking spray. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar in the bottom of the pan. Arrange the pears, slightly overlapping, over the sugar.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, granulated sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions. Add half the milk followed by half of the flour, mixing before adding the remaining half the milk and flour. Spoon into the prepared pan over the pears.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then place a large overturned plate or platter over the cake. Invert the cake so it is standing on the plate.

Serve slightly warm, with a large dollop of whipped cream and a few small pieces of candied ginger on each piece.

Editorial Note: If you don't have a tube pan, no worries. Just do as my sister did and cover a small bowl with foil and place it upside down in the middle of a large round cake tin. Instant 'tube' pan.