Chocolate Pear Upside Down Cake Recipes

UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Butter a 9-inch round baking pan.
• To make the fruit topping, put the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan (one with a tight-fitting lid) and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then cover and cook for 2 minutes. (Covering in this way allows the steam to wash down the sides of pan, which will prevent any sugar crystals from forming.) Uncover the saucepan and continue to boil the sugar, gently and slowly swirling the pan as needed to cook the caramel evenly, until it becomes a dark amber color. Occasionally wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and allow it to harden. The pan will be very hot from the sugar, so take care in moving it if you need to. Fan the pear slices on top of the caramel in a circle around the perimeter, filling in the center with the remaining slices.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• To make the cake, place the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat and melt, stirring occasionally. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Transfer the melted chocolate to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the sugar. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake bounces back slightly when touched. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a plate, leaving the pan on top of the cake for 5 minutes before you remove it. Serve the cake warm, topped with a small dollop of Chantilly cream or a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.
• Storage: Wrapped in plastic wrap, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• To prepare the pears, cut the pears into 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and salt and cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and stir to combine.
• Decoratively place the pear slices onto the caramel, overlapping them as you do, and starting with a circle of pears in the center, fanning them out as you go. Though, really, however you place them will be both pretty and delish.
• To make the cake, add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
• Combine the milk, oil, egg, yolk and vanilla in large glass measuring cup and whisk to combine. Pour over the dry ingredients and fold with a flexible spatula until smooth.
• Add the espresso powder and boiling water to the measuring cup, no need to wash it, whisk until incorporated and pour the mixture into the mixing bowl, whisking a final time.
• Pour the batter over the pears in the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating at the halfway point. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a moist crumb or two.
• Immediately run a paring knife around the edge of the skillet. Let sit for 5 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter.
• Let cool until the caramel sets a bit, about 20 minutes, or cool to room temperature. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
• The cake will keep wrapped in plastic on the counter for up to 3 days, but it is best the day it is made.

UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 10-inch cake pan. Line the pan with parchment or waxed paper and lightly oil the paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Mix until thoroughly blended.
• Line the bottom of the cake pan with the pears in a circular design. Pour the batter on top of the pears. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Place on a cooling rack and let stand for 10 minutes. With a butter knife, cut around the edge of the cake, loosening the sides. Invert the pan onto a plate. Using the handle of the knife, vigorously tap the top of the pan, even shaking it a bit, to loosen the cake. Leave the pan over the cake for 15 minutes. Remove the pan and let the cake cool completely.

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the pears: Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter the paper. Put the butter, brown sugar, and lemon zest and juice in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until melted. Add the pears, cover, and simmer, turning once, until the pears are soft and juicy, about 4 minutes. Pour the pears and their syrup into a strainer set over a saucepan. Set the syrup and 1 pear quarter aside. Arrange remaining pears in the prepared pan, stem ends toward center, rounded sides down, and 1/4-inch from the side. Chop reserved pear and use just enough to fill center.
• For the cake: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Scald milk in a small saucepan; keep warm. Whisk flour with almonds, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add granulated sugar; continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Add cocoa powder and vanilla and beat 1 minute. While mixing at medium-low speed, add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• While mixing slowly, add the flour mixture in 4 additions; turn off the mixer and fold in the hot milk with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter over the pears, taking care not to disturb them. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to settle the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a serving plate. Cool briefly, carefully peel the parchment paper from the top, and then cool completely.
• To finish the cake: Boil the reserved pear syrup until slightly thick and lightly brush the top of the cake with syrup. Whisk a few tablespoons of cocoa powder with an equal amount of confectioners' sugar, and sift over the cake; serve.

RIPE PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Melt 4 oz of the sugar and 2 oz of the butter in a pan and pour into a 20cm (8inch) square cake tin. Peel and core the pears removing any bruised bits and place on top of the butter and sugar mixture.
• Preheat the oven to gas 4 (180C or 350F). In a bowl sift the flour, nutmeg and cinnamon.
• In a separate bowl mix the eggs with the remaining sugar. Melt the remaining butter and mix this into the egg and sugar mixture along with the milk. Pour this mix into the flour and mix well. Pour or spoon the batter over the fruit and pop into the oven for between 40-50 mins.
• Once cooked tun out onto a large serving plate to allow the syrup to drip over the sides of the cake.
• Serve warm with cream or custard or eat cold the next day with a cup of tea