This week’s recipe for Cook the Book Fridays comes from Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook, Everyday Dorie. Caramel-Pear and Five-Spice Upside-Down Cake. Dorie’s version serves 10 (!) and includes Chinese Five Spice that flavours a cake that has “the spring of a sponge cake but the sturdiness of a farmstead loaf cake”.
I love a good upside-down cake (especially one where the fruit is cooked in caramel!) but I didn’t need a full-sized loaf cake so I made 1/3 of the recipe in two 4-inch springform pans (<<< affiliate link but I use and love these!) for 2-4 servings (depending on how hungry you are!). I also used “Everything Nice” spice instead of Chinese Five Spice (not a fan of “savoury” spices in sweet baking) and it made for a lovely seasonal treat that made the house smell AMAZING!
This actually came together pretty quickly – the only time-consuming piece of the recipe is the caramel – the batter is made in the food processor – and bakes up to a lovely “light but sturdy” cake. Upside-down cake is easy to make but the caramel brings this to the next level – making it “guestable” (fancy enough to serve to guests) as opposed to an everyday cake.
Get the recipe for Dorie Greenspan’s Caramel-Pear and Five-Spice Upside-Down Cake on page 258 of Everyday Dorie.
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Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of “Everyday Dorie” for review purposes. I was not asked to write about the book, nor am I being compensated for doing so. All opinions 100% my own.
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There’s something imminently joyful about upside-down cakes. I just love “seeing” the fruit on top, not hidden by pastry or even ribbon layers. Almost child-like. 😉
This was delicious as expected, wonderfully moist, and the bit of spice in the cake added a nice touch.
Wonderful surprise treat for breakfast!
What I like most is the ring of caramelization around the edges. The crunchiness with the softness of the pear are very appealing.
I like your minified version, it looked like a muffin. I don’t think Dorie’s original version served 10, it was only a nice inch cake pan. This was a lovely fall dessert.
OK I’m not a cook but I don’t get it… a fruit (sweet) cake with savoury spices?
I know you didn’t use savoury spices but I can’t even begin to imagine how that would taste.
It looks bloody lovely though.
cute! and love how glossy they look.
Very “guestable”! It turns out very pretty…I like the caramelized edges!