Pear Gingerbread Upside-Down Cake

Makes 12 servings

This dessert is delicious on its own, but for a little extra decadence, serve it with Whipped Cream and Yogurt Topping. Don’t overdo it, however, or you’ll add too many calories and too much fat to your dessert.

Ingredients

  Topping  
1/4 cup butter, melted 50 mL
1/2 cup packed brown sugar 125 mL
can (28 oz/796 mL) pear halves, drained
     
  Cake  
1/4 cup butter, softened 50 mL
1/2 cup packed brown sugar 125 mL
eggs
1 cup applesauce 250 mL
1/2 cup fancy molasses 125 mL
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 375 mL
2 tsp ground ginger 10 mL
1 tsp each baking powder and baking soda 5 mL
1 tsp ground cinnamon 5 mL
1/2 tsp ground cloves 2 mL
1/4 tsp salt 1 mL
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
  • 9-inch (2.5 L) square baking pan, greased

Instructions

Step 1
Topping: In a bowl, combine butter and brown sugar; spread in bottom of prepared pan. Lay pears on top cut side up, slicing to fit if necessary.

Step 2
Cake: Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and beat until incorporated. Blend in applesauce and molasses.

Step 3
In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir into applesauce mixture.

Step 4
Spoon batter over pears. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Step 5
Run a knife around the edges of the cake and invert onto a serving platter. Leave the pan in place for 1 to 2 minutes to allow all of the topping to drip down.

Tips

Use 4 fresh pears, peeled, cored and cut lengthwise in half, to replace the canned pears.

Nutrition & Notes

Nutrition Information
Valeur nutritive
per 1 serving
% Daily Value
% valeur quotidienne
Amount
Teneur
Calories / Calories 279
14%
Fat / Lipides 9.0 g
Saturated / saturés 5.2 g
+ Trans / trans 0.4 g
Cholesterol / Cholestérol 51 mg
11%
Sodium / Sodium 256 mg
16%
Carbohydrates / Glucides 47.9 g
6%
Fiber / Fibres 1.5 g
Sugars / Sucres 31.8 g
Protein Protéines 3.2 g
8%
Vitamin A / Vitamine A
3%
Vitamin C / Vitamine C
6%
Calcium / Calcium
14%
Iron / Fer
DIETITIAN’S MESSAGE
The molasses in this cake makes it a source of iron. 
Contributor
Barbara Selley, Dietitian