Cardamom Pear Upside-Down Cake
By: Chelsea Rutherford
Published: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 - 11:13pm

Ingredients




FOR TOPPING:
about 3 pears (enough to cover the bottom of a 10 inch cast iron pan, arranged
FOR BATTER:
1 1/2 cups whole grain flour such as spelt, kamut or whole wheat
3 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick unsalted softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tbs. dark rum (optional)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice (or you can use apple sauce mixed with
2 tablespoons dark rum for sprinkling over cake (optional)

Preparation

1 MAKE TOPPING: 2 Cut pears in half 3 Core and slice them somewhat thick, about 3-4 mm.  Melt butter in 10-inch cast iron skillet 4 Add  sweetener 5 Simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 4 minutes to prevent burning. 6 Remove from heat. 7 Arrange pears on top of sugar mixture in any pattern you like, overlapping pieces slightly. 8 MAKE BATTER: 9 Sift together flour, cardamom, and salt. 10 Beat butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy gradually beat in granulated sugar 11 Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition 12 Beat in vanilla and rum 13 Add half of flour mixture 14 Beat until just blended 15 Beat in juice 16 Add remaining flour mixture 17 Beat until just blended. 18 Spoon batter over pear topping and spread evenly.   bake cake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes at 350 degrees 19 Let cake stand in skillet 5 minutes 20 Invert a plate over skillet and invert cake onto plate (keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together).  replace any pear stuck to botton of skillet 21 Sprinkle rum over cake 22 Cool on plate on a rack. 23 Serve cake just warm or at room temperature

About


i grew up with my mom using crisco so i am trying to change baking. i created this recipe and out of all my treats it's the voted favorite of my roommates. my boyfriend even requested it for his birthday! this cake always surprises people. first it's the hint of cardamom. then when i tell them it's whole grains with alternative sweeteners they can't believe something quality and healthy actually tastes so good! serve with goat yogurt or raw whole milk