Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake

You know those recipes that are similar to another recipe that you love?  This recipe is one of those recipes.  It is like a pineapple upside down cake, which is one of my all time favorite cakes,  in flavor and technique, but instead of pineapple the fruit layer is fresh fall pears.  YUM!

The original recipe calls for canned pears, but during this time of year in my area we have an abundance of fresh pears.  I went with the fresh pears because of price and flavor.  I was not disappointed.  This cake has rich, gooey, caramelly, flavors from the brown sugar and butter combined with  sweet pears and a moist yellow cake.  The whole thing just screams Fall, well you have to listen carefully to hear the screaming, but I promise it does.  ENJOY!

Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake

 Recipe Source: Modified slightly from Moonspice 

Ingredients:

½ cup Dark Brown Sugar

¼ cup Unsalted Butter

2-3 Ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup Plain Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

A pinch of Salt

1 cup Granulated sugar

3 Medium size Eggs

½ cup Plain Yogurt or sour cream

¼ tsp Vanilla Extract

½ cup vegetable oil

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch cake pan, then line with a round piece of parchment paper. 

In a small pan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat.  While the butter and sugar are melting, slice the pears and arrange them in the prepared pan.  When the butter and sugar are melted, carefully pour it over the top of the pears.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, yogurt, vanilla  and oil.  When the wet ingredients are well combined, gently mix it into the dry ingredients.  Don't over mix!

Pour the batter over the top of the pear topping.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.  Allow to cool in the pan completely.  When cool, place a plate on top of the pan and turn it over to release it from the pan.  If for some reason a pear sticks to your pan, just gently remove and place it back where it is supposed to be.  No one will know the difference.  

Top the whole thing with fresh whipped cream!