Spiced Pear Upside-Down Cake

Yield

One 10” cake.

Notes

• Try a thinner cake layer.
• Much better on the next day – try making ahead.

Ingredients

Pears

• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• 4 small ripe Bosc pears (about 1½ pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, cored

Cake

• 1 cup unsalted, roasted walnuts
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 4 large eggs
• 1½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 cup olive oil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter a 10”-diameter cake pan and line bottom with a parchment paper round; flour sides of pan.
2. Cook orange juice, pomegranate molasses, ¼ cup sugar, and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is slightly reduced, about 4 minutes.
3. Add pears, cut side up, and cook (undisturbed) until they begin to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Turn pears over and cook just until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then arrange pears, cut side down, in prepared pan.
4. Return skillet to medium heat and cook liquid in skillet until thickened and syrupy, about 5 minutes, depending on juiciness of pears. Pour syrup over pears and freeze while you prepare the batter (this is to allow syrup to set up—don’t let it freeze solid).
5. Pulse walnuts and flour in food processor until walnuts are finely ground. Pulse in baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom.
6. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs, orange zest, and remaining 1½ cups sugar in a medium bowl until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in dry ingredients in 2 additions, fully incorporating before adding the next addition, then gradually mix in oil. Pour batter over pears and smooth top.
7. Set pan on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake cake until top is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50–60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in pan, 15–20 minutes.
8. Run knife around edges of cake to loosen and invert onto rack. Remove parchment and let cake cool completely.
9. Drizzle cake with more pomegranate molasses just before serving.

Make-Ahead Notes

Cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Source

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spiced-pear-upside-down-cake