Upside Down Pear Cake

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan.
• 5 large ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons brandy
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350degrees.
2. Butter or line a 9-inch-circle cake pan.
3. In a large bowl, toss pears with lemon juice.
4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
5. Add half the pears, cut sides down, in single layer; cook until brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Turn pears over; cook other sides until brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked pears to a plate.
8. Cook remaining pears; transfer to plate.
9. To pear juices in skillet, add brandy, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
10. Cook, stirring, until reduced to syrup, about 1 minute.
11. Pour into cake pan; swirl to spread.
12. Starting in one corner of pan, fan out pears in single layer. Set aside.
13. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.
14. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat remaining 8 tablespoons butter until fluffy.
15. Add brown sugar; beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs; beat to combine. Beat in molasses and grated ginger.
16. Add half of flour mixture; combine on low speed.
17. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and boiling water; beat into batter.
18. Beat in remaining flour mixture until combined.
19. Pour into pan; bake 25 minutes.
20. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. bake until springy to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.
21. Cool on awire rackfor 1 hour.
22. Once cool, run a knife around the edges and flip your cake to serve.