Spiced Pear Upside-Down Cake

 Sue suggested I try this recipe and we are so glad she did. The Taste of Home online 2013 web site has some good recipes and this one is excellent. Like gingerbread and pears? What an inspired idea. Easy to make, uses seasonal ingredients for the fall and everyone raved about how good it was. This is a recipe I will make many times for my family and friends. This is a variation on pineapple-up-side down cake, but much better we thought. You could serve it with ice cream, but great without anything added. We ate it warm and cold and it was so good either way.

Spiced Pear Upside-Down Cake

The flavors of fresh, sweet pears and gingerbread blend beautifully in this intriguing variation on pineapple upside-down cake.

9 Servings        Prep: 25 minutes.         Bake: 35 minutes. + cooling

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (pecans, etc)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large pears, peeled cored and sliced

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup warm water

Ice cream, optional

Directions

Pour melted butter into a 9-in. square baking pan; sprinkle with nuts

and brown sugar. Arrange pears over nuts.

In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and

fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger,

cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed

mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition.

Spread batter over pears. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until

a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

Yield: 9 servings.