This pear and vanilla upside down cake is a wonderful way to enjoy the deliciousness of pears and the intoxicating aroma of fresh vanilla. What could be better than that?
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We have an abundance of pears at the moment, and I wanted to put them to good use. This pear and vanilla upside down cake was a wonderful way showcase how delicious pears can be. So delicious in fact that even my non pear loving boyfriend loved the cake and asked for more. I think I may have converted him! Which is a good thing as we still have quite a few pears left, which I already have plans for.
If you also love pears—or just have a lot of them—you might also want to try these Bay, Thyme, & Honey Roasted Pears or this tasty recipe for cobbler-like Maple Baked Pears. If you're looking for a more savory pear recipe, try this scrumptious Mushroom, Pear, & Cavolo Nero Toast recipe.
If you love vegan baking, make sure you grab a copy of my free vegan baking cheat sheet while you're here. It's packed with all my favorite plant-based substitutions to help you vegan-ize any recipe!
How to Make Pear & Vanilla Upside-Down Cake
- Preheat the oven.
- Heat a large ovenproof non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the water and sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the vanilla bean, pears, and lemon juice. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the pears are soft. Remove from the heat and set liquid topping aside while you make the cake base.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale, thick, and about 3 times its original volume.
- Switch the mixer to its lowest speed and sift in the self raising flour. Fold through before adding the almond meal, oil, and lemon juice.
- Pour the cake mixture on top of the poached pears and bake for 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out cleanly.
- To serve, turn out onto a cake platter and serve as is or with some freshly whipped cream.
About Pear & Vanilla Upside-Down Cake
Another wonderful benefit of this recipe, other than it's deliciousness, is that poaching the pears for the topping fills your house with an absolutely deliciously intoxicating aroma. Pears and fresh vanilla—what could be better than that?
For this cake I'd recommend using pears that will hold their shape, such as Williams or Packham, during poaching and cooking. Just make sure the pears are ripe, but not overly so.
So tell me, have you been able to convert someone to enjoying a fruit they didn't like through your baking?
While you're here, be sure to grab our FREE 5-Day Meatless Meal Plan. It's packed with tasty recipes to make vegetarian cooking easy and delicious!
Recipe
Ingredients
Topping
- ¾ cup raw caster sugar
- ½ cup water 125ml
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 vanilla bean split
- 2 pears peeled, cored, and cut into eighths
Cake
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup raw caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- juice of half a lemon
- ½ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup self raising flour
- 1 cup almond meal
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
- Heat a large ovenproof non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the water and sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the vanilla bean, pears, and lemon juice. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the pears are soft. Remove from the heat and set liquid topping aside while you make the cake base.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale, thick, and about 3 times its original volume.
- Switch the mixer to its lowest speed and sift in the self raising flour. Fold through before adding the almond meal, oil, and lemon juice.
- Pour the cake mixture on top of the poached pears and bake for 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out cleanly.
- To serve, turn out onto a cake platter and serve as is or with some freshly whipped cream.
muppy says
This looks really delicious, I have some pears that I want to bake with so maybe I should try this.
delicieux says
I may be biased, but I think it's delicious Muppy. 🙂 I think it's best served slightly warm, to make the most of the flavours.
Kayla says
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! This is gorgeous. I love how the vanilla bean sticks out. It adds a rustic touch to the cake. Oh yes, fresh vanilla smells awesome! Hmm... now I craving for some pear dessert... My recent post Broiled Cinnamon-Maple Grapefruit
delicieux says
Thanks for your kind words Kayla 😀 I love the rustic touch that the vanilla bean adds too. It's not a fussy cake, just plain delicious.
Trudy~Veggienumnum says
Oh Yum!! I love how golden and moist this cake looks!! We made an upside down pear cake this weekend too, must be all the fresh ripe pears available this time of year 🙂 My recent post Soy & Szechuan Pepper Tofu w- Wasabi Pea Puree
delicieux says
Thank you Trudy 😀 It's definitely pear season and I can't wait to make some more pear dishes. Are you going to post your upside down pear cake? Great minds must think alike 😉
sandraleegarth says
Beautiful cake and not much luck in the convincing department. Maybe this could be the recipe that changes things!
Heidi says
Delicious! I love a good upside down cake. I get my man to eat quinces in cakes like these. If I poach them he doesn't love them but in a cake it's alllll good! Heidi xo My recent post My Foray into Footscray
Stephanie says
This looks gorgeous! I'm jealous of your pear overload and excited to see what else you'll do with them. My recent post Slow Cooker Monday- Maple Apple Compote
delicieux says
Thanks Stephanie. I'll show more pear recipes next week 😀
Dzenana says
Yum! Now I want to make one of these with the rest of the pears I've got lying around! It looks so moist and delicious! As for making somebody like a fruit they don't usually like...well, its never happened with fruit, but my best friend is renowned for changing her mind about food she hates after I make them! Everything from couscous to peanut butter with chocolate (how could she have ever thought she didn't like that flavour combinationt!?!) My recent post Red Wine Poached Baby Pears with Honey Orange Mascarpone
foodies at home says
Oh thats a good question! Probably figs. My husband was never a fig person until I made simple roasted figs for a salad. This cake looks so moist! I think pears and vanilla is a great combination! My recent post Grandmas Classic Pot Roast
CC11 says
Pear and vanilla are a perfect combo - your cake looks so moist and yummy
delicieux says
Thanks Chanel 😀
Ruby says
Gorgeous! I've got a few under-ripe pears in the fruit bowl that might do well in this. And I'm thinking a rich, dark-chocolate sauce would not be unwelcome either... 😉 My recent post Blooming Champagne Cupcakes
delicieux says
Hi Ruby 😀 A chocolate sauce would be lovely with is, although it really is nice as is. 🙂
mollyparr says
I was at a dinner party a few months ago, and they served a similar cake, but with apples. I love this combination of pear and vanilla. Can't wait to try it out once we have some good pears.
Susi says
What a gorgeous cake and wonderful combination. I love this twist on an old classic. Looks incredibly elegant! My recent post Asian Inspired Cucumber Salad
Soma says
I adore cakes with fruits - much better than any other cakes. I have done apple and pineapple upside downs, never pear. Looks so beautiful I shld make one soon,
delicieux says
Thank you Soma 😀