Classic Pear Upside-Down Cake

Pear adds a twist to the usual upside-down cake – a delicious dessert. MORE + LESS -

Cake

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1

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and 3/4 cup butter; beat at low speed until crumbly. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well at medium speed after each addition. Add vanilla; beat well. Add flour, cornmeal and baking powder; mix well.
2

Place 1/4 cup butter in 9-inch round cake pan. Heat in oven for about 4 minutes or until butter is melted. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pear slices over mixture in pan, slightly overlapping. Spoon and carefully spread cake batter over pears.
3

Bake at 350°F. for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Serve warm or cool with whipped cream.

Even the recipe for upside-down cake is upside-down - it begins with the topping. Sugar is sprinkled over melted butter in the pan bottom, then fruit is decoratively arranged over it. Finally, the batter is spooned on top. In the oven, the butter, sugar and fruit juices bake into caramel. When done, the hot cake is inverted so the pretty glazed fruit becomes the top. Pineapple is traditional for American upside-down cake; our version is prepared with pears.
Like bananas, pears are one of the few fruits picked before they are ripe. Unlike most fruit, both fruits improve in both texture and flavor after harvest. Choose pears without blemishes or soft spots, and store them at room temperature. Pears are best when they are ripe but still a bit firm.
Cornmeal adds rich flavor, and gives this cake a moist, dense texture.