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Poached pear upside-down cake recipe

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Upside-down cakes are a real teatime treat and make indulgent desserts too, served with a dollop of cream. This recipe, featuring poached seasonal pears and a sweet, buttery caramel is no exception. Scatter with flaked almonds and dust with icing sugar for a decadent finishing touch! See method

Serves 12
1 hr 15 mins
351 calories / serving
Freezable
Vegetarian

Ingredients

300g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 star anise
610g pack conference pears, peeled, cored and quartered lengthways
220g baking spread, plus extra for greasing
3 large eggs
200g self-raising flour, sifted
30g flaked almonds, toasted
1 tsp icing sugar
double cream, whipped, to serve (optional)

If you don't have any pears, try using apples

Each serving contains

Energy
1465kj
351kcal 18%
Fat
17g 24%
Saturates
4g 19%
Sugars
32g 35%
Salt
0.4g 7%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 44g Protein 4.6g Fibre 2.4g

Method

Put 100g sugar, the vanilla extract and star anise in a saucepan with 500ml water and heat gently to dissolve the sugar.
Add the pears and simmer for 20 mins, covering with a lid, until tender but holding their shape.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C, and grease and line the base and sides of a deep 20cm round cake tin.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a plate. Increase the heat to medium and simmer the poaching liquid for 8 mins until it’s a thick, golden syrup. Add 20g baking spread, stir to melt, then return the pears to the pan and coat in the caramel. Transfer the pears and caramel to the cake tin, packing them in tightly.
To make the sponge, beat the remaining 200g baking spread and 200g sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then fold through the flour until no white streaks remain. Pour over the pears, and level the top.
Bake for 45-50 mins until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then carefully invert onto a cooling rack, removing the paper, and leave to cool completely. Scatter with the almonds and dust with icing sugar, then serve in slices with a dollop of cream, if you like. The cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

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