Ginger Pear Upside-Down Cake

• Topping:
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3-4 ripe pears - peeled, cored and cut into eigths lengthwise
• Cake batter:
• 11 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp grated fresh giner
• 3 eggs room temperature
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Oil 9" round cake pan or 8" square cake pan.

In small sauce pan melt topping ingredients then pour into cake pan, spreading evenly. Place pears on top of butter/sugar mixture and arrange decoratively as this will become the top of your cake.

Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer for 5-8 minutes until smmoth and pale in color. Add grated ginger and mix thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time on low speed, fully incorporating each. Add molasses and mix until fully distributed. Mixture may look broken but don't worry it will come together.

Sift dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture alternating with buttermilk and mix on low speed until homogenous. Pour into cake pan and smooth surface.

Place in preheated oven for 45 min-1 hour (if using spring form pan place on baking sheet first in case of leaks). Test doneness with skewer; should come out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes then invert on cake plate.

Servce with ice cream, whipped cream or plain yogurt. Garnish as desired! We served with a dollop of plain yogurt and some freshly sliced persimmons. Could also keep it seasonal, and colorful, with some pomegranate arils or other seasonal fruit.