Upside Down Pear Cake

A community recipe by FionaS

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.