Description
A foolproof, one-bowl upside-down cake featuring nutty brown butter, a glossy brown sugar caramel, and tender ripe pears. This dessert is make-ahead friendly and requires zero fancy skills.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter (for caramel)
- 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream
- ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk
- 3 medium pears (about 1.5 lbs / 680g), peeled and sliced
- Butter for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet or round cake pan with butter and set aside.
- Melt unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it turns deep amber and smells nutty (5-7 minutes). Pour into the prepared pan and swirl to coat.
- Sprinkle packed brown sugar over the hot butter in the pan. Stir gently to combine into a smooth caramel, then pour into the greased pan.
- Slice pears into ¼-inch thick half-moons. Arrange them in a single, overlapping layer over the caramel in the pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter evenly over the pears. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, place a serving plate upside down over the pan, and flip confidently. Lift off the pan and drizzle any remaining caramel over the top.
Notes
Ensure butter is browned to a deep amber color, not black. Use firm pears like Bosc or Anjou to prevent mushiness. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before flipping to prevent the caramel from pooling. Ingredients should be at room temperature for best emulsification.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Keywords: brown butter cake, pear upside down cake, fall dessert, easy baking, one bowl cake, autumn recipes