Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake

We were recently the recipients of a large bag of pears from friends who have two pear trees in their yard. What a gift! We've been eating them plain, putting them on salads, and I used some to bake two different cakes. 

(Half the pears were already gone when I took this picture!)

Pears and caramel go really well together, so I knew this cake would be a big hit. And it was. It's so easy to put together, (no mixer required) and I don't even peel the pears, since the skin is so thin. Just look at all that caramelly pear goodness!

Add some batter, bake it up, then let it rest for a bit

before you bravely flip it over onto a plate! I couldn't flip and take a photo at the same time, ha! Guess I need an assistant.

If you need an impressive dessert, look no further than this. We especially loved how the caramel gets kind of crunchy on the outside edge of the cake - yum! 

We loved this with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream, but whipped cream would be a great garnish, too.  (And eating it plain is also a great option.)

Enjoy!

Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup butter

2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1-2 pears, thinly sliced (or 1 can pears)
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla 
1/3 cup vegetable or avocado oil

In a greased 9 inch cake pan, arrange the pears slices in a circle, starting from the outer edge. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt the brown sugar and butter together. Once it begins to bubble, swirl the pan and lightly stir to make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Add the cream, and stir to incorporate.

Gently pour the caramel over the pear slices.

Into a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and oil until well combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk well until no streaks of flour remain. 

Carefully pour the cake batter on top of the pear slices. Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes then invert onto a serving plate. Allow to cool completely, or serve slightly warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.