This Blueberry Pear Upside Down Cake is simply delicious. Not too sweet, the cake is light and fluffy, gently spiced with ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. Sweetened with caramel, blueberries, and slices of pear, this is one cake that you won’t feel too guilty about eating. This is the kind of cake you can throw together midweek if you find yourself itching to bake.
It seems that I am all about the cake right now. Last week I shared these Cardamom and Pomegranate Chocolate Cakes which were all about rich, dark chocolate flavor and decadence. This week, I’m pivoting to a completely different type of cake, a cake that is surprisingly low maintenance and basically decorates itself.
This Blueberry Pear Upside Down Cake is soft and light. It’s a basic sponge with a bit of vanilla, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon for an extra punch of flavor that perfectly complements the fruit without overwhelming it.
The blueberries and the pear really shine here. Combined with the caramel, they bring a light and refreshing sweetness to the cake while adding extra moisture to the sponge. This is best eaten the day it’s made, but if you wrap it in some plastic wrap, the moisture will hold for another day or two. Just note, the caramel will be very hot and it will make the cake pan warm to the touch when you pour it in. By the time you spread the cake batter over the fruit, it should cool down again.
I’m trying to limit my sweets intake these days (nearly impossible with a baking blog and a pandemic where I can’t just unload my bakes onto others), and it was quite hard to resist going back for another slice of this. I jokingly asked if putting half the cake on my plate would count as a single slice. Sadly, I don’t think that’s how it works, but I was really desperate to try and would 100% make an exception just to have more of this cake!
| Prep Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 35-40 minutes |
| Servings |
slices
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- 120 grams granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp bourbon *can swap out for 2 Tbsp water
- 1 recipe (Bourbon) Caramel
- 2 d'anjou pears medium, cut into 2cm thick slices
- 160 grams blueberries 1 cup
- 110 grams self-rising flour
- 55 grams almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 113 grams unsalted butter softened
- 112 grams granulated sugar
- 2 eggs large, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp milk room temperature
Ingredients
(Bourbon) Caramel
Blueberry Pear Upside Down Cake
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- Grease and line an 8" cake pan with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, over a low-medium heat, stir together the granulated sugar, water, and bourbon until all of the sugar is wet; continue to stir until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to medium and allow the sugar to boil.* Let bubble for 5-8 minutes until the sugar begins to darken in color. Give the pan a swirl. Once the caramel reaches an amber color, remove from the heat.
- Immediately pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan. Use a rubber spatula if needed to spread the caramel to the sides of the pan. Be careful, because the caramel will be extremely hot and it'll make the cake pan hot to the touch.
- Carefully line the bottom of the cake tin with the pear slices. Add in the blueberries, filling in any spaces between the pears. It is okay if the blueberries sit on a second layer of fruit. Set the pan aside.
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, sift together the self-rising flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-5 minutes on medium high. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add in the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.
- If using a stand mixer, remove the bowl from the stand. Sift 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the batter. Fold in 1 Tbsp of milk until combined. Repeat with the rest of the dry ingredients and the last tablespoon of milk, ending with the dry ingredients. Fold until the flour is just mixed in. You'll have a somewhat thick and spreadable cake mix.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan. Use the rubber spatula to spread until the cake mix evenly covers the fruit.
- Place on the center rack and bake for 37-40 minutes until the cake springs back to the touch or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a couple of crumbs. (I usually check the cake around 32 minutes in once the top looks set--if the center is still wobbly, continue to bake).
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes. After 1 minute, place a serving plate or a wire rack over the cake pan and flip it over. Slowly lift the cake pan to reveal the fruit at the top. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.
*If you see sugar beginning to crystallize, you can take a wet pastry brush and wipe down the sides of the pan. I usually let the caramel bubble untouched.
This is best when enjoyed within a couple of hours of baking, however, if you cover it in plastic wrap, the cake will remain moist for a few days afterwards as well.