Pear and Maple Upside-Down Cake

This cake features seasonal pears baked in a sticky, sweet and delicious maple syrup. Perfect served warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 tbsp butter

• ½ cup *pure maple syrup

• 3 small firm pears, peeled, halved and cored

• ½ cup caster sugar

• ½ cup butter, softened

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 large eggs

• 1 ½ cups plain flour

• 1 ½ tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• ½ cup milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°c and grease and line a 22cm cake tin*

2. Place the butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and allow the sauce to simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Pour into the prepared tin and allow the syrup to cool slightly before arranging the pears in the sauce, flat side down.

3. Beat together the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy.

4. Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time.

5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and ground ginger.

6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with a little milk and mixing in between, until it’s just combined.

7. Dollop the cake batter on top of the pears and gently spread the mixture to cover the pears evenly.

8. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before turning out onto a serving plate.

9. Enjoy warm with a dollop of double cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

*If using a springform tin, make sure the bottom fit is very tight, otherwise the maple syrup mix can ooze out during cooking. If unsure use a regular cake tin or place your springform tin on a baking tray to catch any spills.

*Maple syrup

Pure maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees. It has a distinct flavour and is useful an alternative to sugar or honey. Make sure you're using real maple syrup and not manufactured maple-flavoured syrup.‍‍