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This upside-down pudding makes a delicious accompaniment to afternoon tea, and also works well as a dessert. I like to use a firm, flavoursome pear, such as conference as I find the flavour works particularly well with the ginger sponge. Serve with a little creme fraiche. The quantities shown in this recipe make enough for a 20cm cake, approximately 12 servings.
Ingredients
- 200g Butter
- 200g Soft brown sugar
- 3 Pears, cored, peeled and quartered
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 125g Flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 2 tsp Ground ginger
Method
- Melt 75g of the butter and add 75g of the sugar.
- Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the pears and stir gently to coat the pear quarters.
- Arrange the pear quarters onto the base of a greased 20cm cake tin and drizzle over a little of the melted butter.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the remaining butter and sugar to a creamy consistency.
- Gradually add the egg and the flour, adding a little of each at a time.
- Add the ginger and baking powder and fold in.
- Test the consistency of the sponge mixture to see if it drops off the end of a spoon in a big dollop. If it is too dry, add a little milk, until dropping consistency is reached.
- Spoon the cake mix evenly over the pears.
- Place into an oven at 180 degrees C and bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the cake is risen and golden.
- To ensure the cake is cooked, gently press in the middle - the cake should bounce back into shape.
- When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring (upside-down of course) to a wire cooling rack.
- Drizzle the remaining syrup over the cake once it is cool.