Turning things UPSIDE-down!

When we hear the words upside-down cake, we probably all think pineapple. After all, that is a most common way to make this type of cake. And that is because in 1903 James Dole and the then Hawaiian Fruit Company began canning and selling pineapple. In 1925, a contest was held by Dole for the best pineapple recipe. There was a promise that the top 100 winning recipes would be included in a cookbook. Over 60,000 recipes were submitted and 2,500 of them were for pineapple upside down cake. Dole took full advantage of this and ran a major marketing campaign for their pineapple. And the great American Pineapple Upside-down cake took its place in American dessert history.

Canned pinneapple

While the use of pineapple in upside-down cake is common, don't go getting the idea that turning a cake upside down is a wholly American idea. We are here to tell you differently. An upside down cake has been documented in Europe for centuries. It gets its basic start as an unleavened cake made in a skillet that had fruit added. Any true upside-down cake has fruit of some sort. The cake batter was much like a pancake and would have dried fruit if fresh was not available.

This tradition of making a cake in a skillet and then turning it over on a plate or serving dish came to the Americas when the settlers arrived. They called their upside-down cakes spider cakes because they made them in cast iron skillets that had legs on them and sat over a fire. This was standard fair and quite unassuming; that is until pineapple found its way into a can.

Spider Skillet

So who invented the first upside-down cake? Who knows!? We don't. While cake wasn't as popular as tarts and pies in the 18th century, it did have its place. But the true history is a mystery, so let's just say that someone had a slippery hand and somehow manage to accidentally turn their cake, "splat," on the counter. Making the best out of such a mistake, the baker rallied and put the newly designed cake to good use. And the upside-down cake was born. It could have happened that way! Who's to say it didn't? Besides many a mistake leads us to the next new way to do something.

Let's look at some variations of upside down cakes.  First there is the tarte tartin, which is a French tart that has apples caramelized in butter and sugar with a tart pastry on top.  The cake is more like a short cake.  It is baked and turned over on a serving plate.  

Tarte Tartin

The we have Bolo de Banana from Brazil.  This upside down cake has a more cake-like texture with caramelized bananas.  

Bolo be Banana

So this brings up to our mother's upside-down cake.  While American tradition tells us to use pineapple, our mother chose to use pears.  And so today we are extending our family tradition to you and giving up a lovely recipe for Pear Upside-Down Cake.  

Pear Upside-Down Cake

Here's what you need:

12 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2-3 fresh (but not too ripe) pears

1 1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Here's what you need to do:

Melt 4 Tablespoons butter in small pan.  Add brown sugar and heat until bubbling.  Pour the butter and sugar mixture into a 9" baking pan.  Spread the mixture out evenly.  Set aside and cool completely.

Peel, core and cut the pears into even 1/4 inch slices.  Arrange slices in a circle over the brown sugar mixture.  Place a few small slices of pear in the middle of the pan.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spices and salt.  

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and remaining 8 Tablespoons of butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and combine.  Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Add half of the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix just to combine.  Add the milk and combine.  Now add the rest of the flour mixture and mix just to combine.

Spread the batter on top of the pears evenly.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 20 minutes on a rack. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. \ Place a serving plate on the cake pan and invert the cake on the plate.  

Serve warm with a dollop of creme fraiche.

Pear Upside-down Cake with Creme Fraiche

Upside-down cakes are beautiful and can be adapted to your taste.  Maybe you could try some berry combination.  This is a lovely dessert and is sure to impress your family and guests.  

Now, go out and make something good.