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Upside Down Pear Cake

A community recipe by

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

Ingredients

Serves: 10

Metric Cups

For the Cake

  • 150 grams caster sugar
  • 80 grams almonds (unblanched)
  • 60 grams hazelnuts (roasted and peeled)
  • 60 grams desiccated coconut
  • 160 grams plain flour
  • 300 grams butter
  • 300 grams granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs (at room temperature, lightly beaten)
  • 2 oranges (finely grated rind of)

For the Roast Pear

  • 6 large pears (under-ripe)
  • 180 grams granulated sugar
  • 2 lemons (juice of)
  • 50 millilitres white wine

For the Cake

  • 5 ounces superfine sugar
  • 3 ounces almonds (unblanched)
  • 2 ounces hazelnuts (roasted and peeled)
  • 2 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 6 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 11 ounces butter
  • 11 ounces granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs (at room temperature, lightly beaten)
  • 2 oranges (finely grated rind of)

For the Roast Pear

  • 6 large pears (under-ripe)
  • 6 ounces granulated sugar
  • 2 lemons (juice of)
  • 1¾ fluid ounces white wine

Method

Upside Down Pear Cake is a community recipe submitted by FionaS and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

  • For roast pears, preheat oven to 150C.
  • Peel pears and halve lengthways. Place cut-side down in a baking dish, sprinkle over sugar and drizzle with lemon juice and wine.
  • Cover with foil and bake for up to 4 hours or until tender. Cool.
  • Using a melon baller, remove cores and stem. Strain liquid through a sieve and reserve.
  • Pears may be cooked the day before and refrigerated. Place caster sugar in a small saucepan, add enough water to dampen and cook over high heat for 10 minutes or until caramel in colour.
  • Pour caramel into a 20cm-round cake pan with high sides and swirl to coat base and sides.
  • Process nuts and coconut in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then add half the flour and process to a medium meal.
  • Combine with remaining flour. Using an electric beater, cream butter, sugar and orange rind until fluffy and approximately 3 times its original volume, then add eggs, a little at a time, beating to incorporate each addition before adding next.
  • Using the open palm of your hand, fold nut mixture through creamed mixture until combined.
  • Increase oven to 160C. Arrange pears, round-side down, snugly into cake pan, spoon over cake mixture, place in a baking dish and cover base with 5mm of water.
  • Bake for 2 hours or until firm and golden.
  • Allow cake to cool in pan. Warm base of pan over stove to melt caramel, then invert onto a plate.
  • Serve drizzled with reserved pear liquid and sour cream or creme Anglaise.
  • For roast pears, preheat oven to 150C.
  • Peel pears and halve lengthways. Place cut-side down in a baking dish, sprinkle over sugar and drizzle with lemon juice and wine.
  • Cover with foil and bake for up to 4 hours or until tender. Cool.
  • Using a melon baller, remove cores and stem. Strain liquid through a sieve and reserve.
  • Pears may be cooked the day before and refrigerated. Place superfine sugar in a small saucepan, add enough water to dampen and cook over high heat for 10 minutes or until caramel in colour.
  • Pour caramel into a 20cm-round cake pan with high sides and swirl to coat base and sides.
  • Process nuts and coconut in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then add half the flour and process to a medium meal.
  • Combine with remaining flour. Using an electric beater, cream butter, sugar and orange rind until fluffy and approximately 3 times its original volume, then add eggs, a little at a time, beating to incorporate each addition before adding next.
  • Using the open palm of your hand, fold nut mixture through creamed mixture until combined.
  • Increase oven to 160C. Arrange pears, round-side down, snugly into cake pan, spoon over cake mixture, place in a baking dish and cover base with 5mm of water.
  • Bake for 2 hours or until firm and golden.
  • Allow cake to cool in pan. Warm base of pan over stove to melt caramel, then invert onto a plate.
  • Serve drizzled with reserved pear liquid and sour cream or creme Anglaise.
  • Tell us what you think