Upside-Down Pear Cake with Fudge Sauce Recipe
A luscious Upside-Down Pear Cake topped with a rich, glossy fudge sauce. This elegant dessert features tender pears arranged in a beautiful spiral pattern under a moist, buttery cake base, finished with a decadent homemade fudge sauce for an indulgent treat perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
For the Pear Cake
- 3 pears, peeled and cut into eighths
- 50 g dark brown sugar
- 175 g butter, softened
- 175 g light brown sugar
- 175 g self-raising flour
- 4 eggs
For the Fudge Sauce
- 110 g butter
- 110 g light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the pan and oven: Line and butter a 25cm ovenproof frying pan or cake tin thoroughly, ensuring the base is well greased to prevent sticking. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or 355°F. If you prefer a smaller tin, be aware baking time may increase slightly.
- Prepare the pears: Peel the pears, slice them in half, remove the cores with a teaspoon, then thinly slice each half into eighths.
- Arrange the pears: Neatly lay the pear slices in a spiral pattern on the base of the prepared pan. This will become the top of the cake once it’s inverted. Evenly sprinkle 50 g of dark brown sugar over the arranged pear slices.
- Make the cake batter: In a food processor, blend together 175 g softened butter, 175 g light brown sugar, 4 eggs, and 175 g self-raising flour until smooth. If a food processor is unavailable, cream the butter and sugar using an electric whisk, then add eggs and mix before folding in the flour.
- Combine and bake: Pour the smooth batter gently over the arranged pears, spreading evenly to cover them. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean (do not pierce all the way through to the base).
- Cool and invert: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 2 minutes. Then carefully invert it onto a serving plate, revealing the caramelized pear spiral on top. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Make the fudge sauce: In a small saucepan, melt 110 g butter with 110 g light brown sugar over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and stir continuously until the sugar fully dissolves and the sauce becomes glossy and thickened.
- Serve: Pour the warm fudge sauce evenly over the cooled cake, smoothing it to cover the surface. Slice and enjoy your delicious upside-down pear cake with a rich fudge topping!
Notes
- Use ripe but firm pears for best texture that holds up during baking.
- Make sure the baking pan is well buttered to allow easy inversion of the cake.
- If you do not have self-raising flour, you can make your own by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 175 g of all-purpose flour.
- Fudge sauce can be made in advance and reheated gently before serving.
- The cake is best served at room temperature to enjoy the full depth of flavors.
- Adjust the baking time if using a smaller or larger tin, checking doneness with a skewer.
