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Upside Down Gingerbread Pear Cake

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This almost effortless Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Cake is tenderly spiced with fall flavors, drizzled with an easy salted caramel sauce and studded with perfectly cooked pears. It is the perfect holiday cake to serve to guests (or have for breakfast) when you need a beautiful yet easy fall dessert.

Pear gingerbread cake on a white plate sitting on a wooden table

What I love most about creating dessert recipes is the ability to make a rather simple recipe but have it turn out looking and tasting like it needed hours and perfect technique.

Epic in taste, yet almost effortless in the kitchen.

A slice of pear gingerbread cake and a dallop of whipped cream on a white napkin with whole pears in the background

For this recipe, I wanted something a little milder and less “spiced” than some gingerbread recipes.

So this time I used half molasses and half honey, and seriously cut down on the amount of spices that I used.

The result is a tender and moist cake that is slightly spiced, drizzled in an easy salted caramel sauce, and studded with perfectly cooked pears.

A white cake platter with pear gingerbread cake, sitting on a white towel on a wooden table

How do you make a gingerbread cake?

This pear gingerbread cake is so easy to make, it’s almost effortless! For the full set of directions make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below.

Make the caramel sauce

  1. Melt the butter, brown sugar, and pinch of salt together until it starts to caramelize.
  2. Pour the sauce into a cake pan and arrange the pears in the caramel sauce and set aside.

Make the cake batter

  1. In a mixing bowl, make the gingerbread cake by creaming the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, vanilla, honey, molasses, and mix until combined.
  2. Mix in the spices and dry ingredients, and then add in the milk.

Assemble and bake

  1. When the batter is smooth, carefully pour over the arranged pear slices.
  2. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
  3. Cool on a wire rack for a little while before inverting onto a serving platter.
A cake server pulling a slice of pear gingerbread cake off of the cake platter

Storage Information

Store this cake, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The caramel will harden a bit in the cold, but you can warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it back up if desired.

Pear gingerbread cake with a slice missing on a white cake platter with whole pears in the foreground

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Yield: 8 Servings

Upside Down Pear Gingerbread Cake

easy Pear Gingerbread

This almost effortless Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Cake is tenderly spiced with fall flavors, drizzled with an easy salted caramel sauce and studded with perfectly cooked pears. It is the perfect cake to serve to guests (or have for breakfast) when you need a beautiful yet easy fall dessert.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Caramel Pear Topping:

  • 4 TBSP butter
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 2 firm Bosc pears

Gingerbread Cake :

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temp
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup  molasses
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. Liberally grease a 10" cake pan with butter and set aside.
  3. In a medium saucepan, melt the 4 Tablespoons of butter.
  4. Add in the sugar and simmer for 4 minutes, without stirring.
  5. Remove the pan from heat, and then carefully stir in the salt.
  6. Pour the caramel into prepared cake pan, using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the pan, and smooth evenly over the bottom.
  7. Arrange the pear slices on top of the caramel sauce in a pretty pattern. Set aside.
  8. In a large bowl, beat together 1/2 cup of room temperature butter and sugar untill light and fluffy.
  9. Add in the egg, vanilla, molasses and honey and mix until combined.
  10. Add in the spices, salt, baking soda and flour.
  11. Mix in the milk until combined and the batter becomes smooth.
  12. Carefully pour the batter over the pear slices and smooth to create an even layer.
  13. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  14. Cool the cake in the pan, on a wire rack, for 10-15 minutes, and then turn out onto platter by inverting the cake pan. You might want to loosen the edges with a dull knife first.
  15. Serve warm, with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. The cake is also good room temperature.
  16. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 498Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 490mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 3gSugar: 47gProtein: 6g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram, and don't forget to tag #gingeredwhisk.

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Robert Coupe

Tuesday 22nd of December 2020

I have been making this recipe for about 30 years, and everyone loves it. I hope that the people who said it looks good really good actually do make, because it is easy to make, the presentation is beautiful, and the taste is unbelievable.

Tatiana

Tuesday 31st of October 2017

At least you guys got your first fall day, bc we, here in North California, are still living is some 85 degrees heat... love upside down cakes btw!

Lois. O

Monday 30th of October 2017

Ahh!!! This will be so good with a cup of ginger tea, especially with the cold weather I have been experiencing. The warmth of the spice plus the heat of the tea, talk about a breakfast hug.

prasanna hede

Monday 30th of October 2017

This is so pretty and sounds so yummy with all things going in! I would love to have a bite :)

Cheryl

Monday 30th of October 2017

What a lovely cake. It looks so dense and rich. I bet the flavor is delicious.

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