Makes 10 servings
When I was a kid, upside-down cakes came one way: topped with canned pineapple rings and maraschino cherries the color of a clown’s nose. I didn’t like them as a child, and I didn’t make them as a baker . . . at least not with pineapple. My current favorite upside-downer is this one, where the fruit is fresh pears and the batter is flavored with lemon, ginger and Chinese five-spice powder, a blend that swings savory and sweet (you can substitute cinnamon if you prefer).
The cake is a beacon of warmth and welcome. Who wouldn’t want to come home to a slice of cake, its top the color of mahogany, its fruit translucent and candied and its texture between the spring of a sponge cake and the sturdiness of a farmstead loaf cake? And I haven’t even mentioned that the batter is whirred in a food processor, so it comes together in seconds, not minutes.
The minutes, about ten of them, are reserved for the caramel. Because this caramel starts with sugar and water, not just sugar, it’s a great one if you’re a novice or a nervous carameler. Adding the water slows down the whole process and gives you plenty of time to judge the color. (Keep a white plate nearby so that you can drop a little caramel on it — it’s easier to see the color on a plate than it is in a dark skillet.) The squirt of lemon juice flavors the caramel and, more important, keeps the sugar from hardening too quickly. And — this is the best trick! — preheating the cake pan makes it simple to swish the caramel over its bottom and up its sides.
Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 375 degrees F. Place a 9-inch round cake pan with 2-inch-high sides (if you’ve got a nonstick pan, use it) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. When you start to make the caramel, put the empty pan, on the sheet, in the oven.
To make the caramel: Grate the zest of the lemon and set it aside. Cut the lemon in half; set one half aside for the cake and the other for the caramel. Have a white plate at the side of the range as well as a bowl of water and a pastry brush (preferably silicone), which you’ll use to brush down the sides of the skillet.
Put the sugar in a medium skillet (nonstick is good here), pour over the water to moisten the sugar and place the skillet over medium-high heat — caramel does best over real heat, so don’t wimp out. And don’t leave the stove — things move quickly with caramel! As the water boils away and the sugar dissolves, there may be spatters on the sides of the skillet — brush these down with water. The bubbles in the pan will get bigger and slower and the sugar will start to color. Don’t stir; instead, swirl the pan gently to even out the color, and when the color is amber — you may see a few wisps of smoke — remove the pan from the heat, stand away and squeeze in the juice from the lemon half. If it looks as though you’ve got a few lumps, put the pan back over the heat for a few seconds.
Remove the cake pan from the oven and pour in the caramel. Grab the pan with pot holders and swirl it so that the caramel covers the bottom and sides. The bottom will grab the lion’s share of the caramel, but try to get a slick on the sides. Return the pan to the baking sheet and set aside.
To make the cake: Peel the pears, cut them in half the long way and remove the cores. Cut the halves into long slices about a scant ½ inch thick. Arrange them on top of the caramel in a single layer, making whatever pattern pleases you.
Put all the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse a couple of times to blend. Add the rest of the ingredients, squeeze in the juice from the remaining lemon half and toss in the zest. Pulse, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, until you have a smooth batter. Don’t overdo it — it will take fewer than 10 pulses to blend the ingredients. Pour the batter over the fruit and swivel the pan to level it. You’ll have a thin layer of batter.
Bake the cake for 35 to 38 minutes, until it’s a deep golden brown. Pull an edge of the cake gently, and it will release from the pan; a tester inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let rest for 5 minutes, then run a table knife around the sides of the cake. Invert the pan onto a serving plate and lift off the pan. If any fruit has stuck to the pan, use a spatula to carefully return it to the cake.
Let the cake cool until it is just warm or reaches room temperature before cutting and serving.
Storing: The cake is best served the day it is made, but leftovers will keep for another day at room temperature. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the cut edges and cover the cake with a cake keeper or a big bowl.