UPSIDE DOWN PEAR CAKE

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Francesca Lanni

Home bakers should always have a personal cake repertoire! This is very easy to make, and great for kids who want to help in the kitchen (mine did as outside was pouring and they were starting to feel annoyed..). You can use pretty much any fruit really. If using apples with apples it may look like a Tarte Tatin.

Ingredients for 4 serves: 3 pears, peeled, halved and cored 175g butter 175g caster sugar 3 eggs 175g self-raising flour, sifted 3 tbsp milk 1 tbsp icing sugar.  You’ll also need a 20cm shallow pudding dish or cake tin, greased and lined with baking parch.

Arrange the pear halves evenly over the bottom of the prepared pudding dish or tin and set aside. Using an electric beater or a wooden spoon, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, adding them one at a time and mixing well after each addition. Add the flour to the bowl, gently fold it into the mixture, then stir in the milk. Spoon the cake mixture evenly over the pears and smooth the surface. Cook in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/gas mark 4 for 45 minutes, until the surface is firm when gently touched and the cake comes slightly away from the sides of the dish. Remove from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate. Peel away the baking parchment, dust the top of the cake evenly with icing sugar and serve immediately.