I think I have finally nailed the upside down cake.
Now, I know there a lot of people out there who are a little pessimistic about ginger related things, but Pears and Ginger should get married. They are perfect together. I fed some of these 'ginger-haters' with this cake last night, and they L O V E loved it. Don't be a ginger-hater, it is spice-ism.
This cake uses Crystallized Ginger which is ginger simmered in sugary water, then tossed in granulated sugar and dried. You can generally find it in any supermarket. It even has some health benifits, it helps with nasea, has anti-inflammatory effects and can boost your immune system. So there is three good reasons to give it a go.
Here is how to marry Pears and Ginger......
Sticky Toffee Topping
100g salted butter (cut into cubes)
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 to 3 pears, I used Buerre Bosc
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallised ginger
Cakey goodness
110g unsalted butter at room temperature (cubed)
1 cup castor sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups cake flour (you can get this at some supermarkets, I got mine from Commonsense Organics in Wellington
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely chopped chrystallised ginger
Preheat the oven to 170degrees. To make the Toffee-topping, put the butter and brown sugar in the bottom of the cake tin. Put this in the oven and wait until the butter melts and goes bubbly (about 5-10min). While you are waiting for that, peel and core the Pears, cut them into quarters and cut each quarter into 3. Pull it out and mix it all up with a fork so the butter and sugar are combined. Lie the slices of Pears on top of the butter/sugar in a circular arrangement. Sprinkle the chrystillised ginger on top of the pears.
For the Cakey goodness, cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer on a medium speed for 2-3min. Add the eggs one at a time and mix for 2min.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add 1/2 of this mix to the creamed butter/sugar, mix, then add the milk, mix, then add the remaining flour, then mix until just combined. Stir in the vanilla and chrystallised ginger.
Spoon the cakey-goodness on to the Sticky-toffee top, as evenly as possible. Then pop it in the oven and bake for about 50min or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clear of gooey cake.
Cool for about 10min, then pop a cake plate on top of the cake tin, turn it upside down and 'Tardarrrrrrr!' you have performed a holy matrimony on Pear and Ginger.
