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Pear Upside Down Cake

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Pear Upside Down Cake is the most delicious gingerbread cake made with fresh pears on the base. 

The gingerbread is sticky but not too sweet and the soft caramelised pears melt in your mouth. 

Happy to compare my Pear Upside down Cake with the one in the Hummingbird Book
I was so thrilled with how similar my cake was to the one on the picture in Life is Sweet by the Hummingbird Bakery. 

Life is Sweet is the fourth book by Tarek Malouf, founder of The Hummingbird Bakery.  The Hummingbird Bakery was instrumental in popularising the sort of high-quality bakes, loved by Americans.

Introduced first to London through the bakeries and then to the rest of the UK, through the books.

 I already have the Cake Days baking book from The Hummingbird Bakery, but I think that Life is Sweet is even better. Let me tell you a little about it.

Pear Upside Down Cake from Life is Sweet

Review of Life is Sweet 

The Chapters

Cakes, simple and more complex includes Gooey Butter Cake, 7Up Pound Cake, Molasses Pecan Crumb Cake, Chocolate Bundt Cake, Tunnel of Fudge Cake and Upside Down Pear Cake

Cupcakes both familiar and unusual including Banana Foster Cupcakes, Tomato Soup Cupcakes, Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes, Honey Cornbread Cupcakes and Mint Julep Cupcakes.

Layer Cakes includes an indulgent Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake, Gingerbread Icebox Cake, Alabama Little Layer Cake, Red Velvet Crepe Cake and Appalachian Stack Cake.

Pies is full of very American Pies including, Lemon Chiffon Pie, Deep-fried Apple Pies, Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie, Vinegar Pie, and New Orleans Prune Pie.

Cookies and Candies provide bite-sized treats such as Soft Molasses Cookies, Black Pepper Cookies (on my list), Vanilla filled Chocolate Cookies, Lemon Drops, Turtle Cookies and Creamy Pecan Pralines.

Traybakes are one of my favourite bakes, how about Coconut Dream Bars, Red Velvet Brownies, Blackberry Limeade Bars, and Texas Tassie Bars.

Pancakes are so easy to make and these lovely flavours are very tempting Black Bottom Pancakes, Pumpkin Pancakes, Cinnamon Pancake Cake and Sally Lunn French Toast.

Top your pies and pancakes with some lovely Ice Cream, Grasshopper Ice Cream, Earl Grey Tea and Chocolate Ice Cream, Fresh Peach Ice Cream and Lemon Custard Ice Cream.

Puddings to delight your sweet tooth include Praline Bread Pudding with Pecan Caramel Sauce, Brownie Pudding and White Chocolate Bread Pudding.

The final chapter features Bread and Savouries, Skillet Cornbread, Crawfish Pie, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Loaf and Graham Crackers.

The book finishes up with some Baking Essentials about Ingredients, Equipment, Methods and Techniques.

Who is it for?

Pretty much anyone who likes baking and is looking for some different ideas to try.

It’s not aimed at beginner bakers, but follow the instructions and there is no reason why a novice could not achieve good results.

Pros

A wide range of different bakes, each on a little out of the ordinary.  Good photographs that let you see what you are aiming for.

Cons

I can’t really think of any cons with this book, it is full of such good things.

The Verdict

I really was beginning to think I had enough baking books, that they were just full of the same sort of recipes.

Life is Sweet has some exciting bakes in it. Recipes that I feel inspired to bake.  

Buy Life is Sweet and you won’t be disappointed. 

It's easy to make the Pear Upside Down Cake

Pear Upside Down Cake 

I decided to make the Pear Upside Down Cake. The cake is a soft gingerbread with works so well with the caramelised pears. Serve as a tea time cake or a dessert. 

Serve the Pear Upside Down Cake for dessert with whipped cream

The resulting cake is rich and treacly but not too dense, the pears add a lovely texture to the cake and are not too sweet. 

Pear Upside Down Cake is a really delightful bake that works out exactly as it is portrayed in the book. 

Serve warm with whipped cream for dessert or eat cold with tea or coffee, either way, you won’t be disappointed. 

The Hummingbird Bakery – Life is Sweet
100 original recipes for happy home baking
Published by 4th Estate,  Harper Collins
RRP £20

More Cakes with Fruit from Farmersgirl Kitchen

Enjoy a slice of Spiced Apple and Ginger Cake

Spiced Apple and Ginger Cake

Glorious soft almond sponge with juicy fresh plums: Plum and Almond Traybake Cake

Plum and Almond Traybake Cake

Peach and Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

Peach and Rhubarb Upside Down Cake 

Pear Upside Down Cake combines sweet and sticky gingerbread with fresh juicy pears to make a pretty and so tasty cake or desert #pear #gingerbread #cake #recipe

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Upside Down Pear Cake

Hummingbird Bakery
Pear Upside Down Cake combines sweet and sticky gingerbread with fresh juicy pears in a pretty and oh so tasty cake or dessert 
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Baking
Cuisine American
Servings 20
Calories 233 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the caramelised pears

  • 6 large ripe pears peeled, cored ad quartered lengthways
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 80 g caster sugar
  • 130 ml Kentucky bourbon or whisky

For Cake

  • 195 g plain flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 160 g unsalted butter
  • 75 g dark muscovado sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 170 g pure cane molasses such as Meridian
  • 3 tbsp boiling water
  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 175C (350C), Gas mark 4. Line the tin with non-stick baking parchment.

To make the caramelised pears, mix the pears with the lemon juice.  In a large frying pan, melt the butter and sprinkle with half the caster sugar. Put the pear quarters into the pan.  Cook for about 5 minutes until brown on one side.  Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes until the other side is brown.  With a slotted spoon, carefully remove the pear quarters and set aside to cool slightly.

  • Add the bourbon and the rest of the caster sugar to the pan and cook and stir frequently for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes syrupy.  Pour this syrup into the baking tin and tip the tin to spread evenly over the bottom of the tin.
  • Start to arrange the pears from one corner so that they cover the bottom of the tin and are facing the same direction. Set aside.

To make the cake, sift together the flour, spices and salt in a bowl.

  • Using a freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment or hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Only beat until just Incorporated.  Add the molasses and beat for a few moments longer to mix.
  • In a small bowl, add the boiling water to the bicarbonate of soda and set aside.  Add half the flour mixture to the creamed mixture on low speed.  then add the water and bicarbonate of soda and the rest of the flour mixture and mix until well Incorporated  It will look like the mixture has split, but that i correct.
  • Scrape the mixture into the tin on top of the arranged pears and bake for 25 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 165C (325F) Gas mark 3 and bake for 10-15 minutes longer.  The top should bounce bake when lightly touched.  Cool in the tin for 1 hour, then run a knife around the edges of the cake. Place a tray over the top of the tin and carefully(but quickly) turn upside down.

Notes

Makes one 23 x 32 cm (9 x 13 in) cake, to slice as desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 110mgPotassium: 243mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 320IUVitamin C: 3.9mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1.3mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Scottish Mummy says

    Janice, this looks like a beautiful book, thanks for this review. I agree that there are too many baking books, so I'm also looking for something a bit different, and this sounds fantastic. Gingerbread is one of my favourites and I love pears so I can't wait to try this recipe. Thank you.

    Reply

  4. zoe tcm says

    I already have the hummingbird bakery cookbook which is great – especially love the oat & raisin cookie and peanutbutter cookie recipe. Liked your review and the book sounds really interesting, full of new ideas of things i'd like to bake. Thanks and good luck everyone! 🙂

    Reply

  5. zoe tcm says

    Sorry didn't realise you had to say your favourite cake to make – the raffle copter widget is being funny on my phone. Not sure if my entry registered or not. Anyways, i love to make my triple-layer chocolate cake with caramel icing. Always a celebration cake winner! 🙂

    Reply

  7. belleau kitchen says

    wow, now that is a most stunning cake!, it looks so dark and rich and I bet the combination of ginger and pear is superb. lovely review too Janice x

    Reply

  8. Paula says

    This book looks like another winner from hummingbird. In terms of a favourite bake, that's a hard one…Probably creme egg brownies which are 'in season' at the moment & always go down a storm when I make them!

    Reply

  11. Choclette Blogger says

    Ahh, tomato soup cupcakes. I have heard of these before, but I'm not convinced – could be because I've never liked tinned tomato soup. Another good review Janice and as I don't have a Hummingbird book at all, I'm going to try my luck.

    Hmmm, my favourite cake – well I can't really say anything else other than chocolate cake!

    Reply

    • Janice Pattie says

      Never had it in cupcakes, but I have tasted a large cake made with tomato soup, you can't taste the soupiness at all!

      Reply

  12. P Bennett says

    If all my attempts at baking came out as well as the one above then I'd never be out of the kitchen! As it is, I have to keep it simple (if I want it to be edible!) and so I stick to a simple weetabix loaf/cake, which is a bit like a tea loaf – a slice is really nice with some butter on and a cup of tea 🙂

    Reply

  35. Amy says

    It would have to be a good old Victoria Sponge or an indulgent carrot cake topped with a thick layer of smooth soft cheese icing!

    Reply

  39. sadia iqbal says

    Oh too many, but my favourite ones are something with a little cinnamon or ginger in them.
    A classic carrot cake made with honey!

    Reply

  48. suzanne brzeski says

    i love carrot and ginger cake that i have made from the hummingbird cake days book- so moist and tasty….not seen this new book that is in the giveaway….but would be a lovely addition to my collection.

    Reply

  51. Vohn's Vittles says

    My favourite cake was always chocolate fudge cake but as I get older I am enjoying spices more and I'll bet this spiced cake smells amazing. The caramelised pears themselves sound fabulous, let alone added into the cake! Yours does look exactly like there one in the picture!

    Reply

  55. Stephanie Whitehouse says

    I only like fat free cakes, so real swiss roll, buns, scones, meringues. But please don't offer me gateaux

    Reply

  65. Stephanie Griffiths says

    I love cake its so hard to choose a favorite , but would have to go with either chocolate fudge cake or coffee and walnut cake

    Reply

  92. Katie Witherington says

    Since I have had an operation on my stomach I prefer cakes with abit of sour taste esp lemon drizzle

    Reply

  100. Agnès Gaillard says

    Nice! I did this with Armagnac (did not have Whisky or Bourbon), and substituting maple syrup for molasses. I also used salted butter as I prefer my caramel on the salty side. That was quite nice and spicy, although the cake did look much lighter than in the picture (in terms of color). My guests really liked it (the guy was really happy to the point I felt a bit embarassed towards his wife who also liked it … but well… lol 🙂 I served it warm at breakfast after 10 minutes on grill mode oven

    Reply

    • Janice Pattie says

      Those sound like some good substitutions, Agnes. I guess the maple syrup would make it lighter than with molasses and Armagnac cake for breakfast sounds like a real treat! Thanks for letting me know how you got on making the recipe I really appreciate it 🙂

      Reply

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