LIVE, LOVE, & EAT IN SAYULITA: A Recipe for Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread Cake

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! In Sayulita, we definitely do not have snow so I think that it’s best to say that it is beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas! And here at Live Love & Eat, I have discovered the most delicious, moist, flavourful holiday cake that you could ever make!

My children, like their mother, are all Foodies, and yesterday my youngest sent me a recipe for an Upside-down Pear Gingerbread Cake.  She said that it was the BEST cake she had ever tasted! So being the baker that I am…I searched for the ingredients that I did not have in my pantry. I found what I needed right here in Sayulita! I came back to my kitchen and immediately began to make the recipe. OMG, she was soooso correct. This cake is more than worth it. Every bite was what I would call “orgasmic”!!! The BEST ever! If you do not make any other cake for the holidays…please make this one.

INGREDIENTS

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons liquid honey

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1-2 ripe but firm pears

mine were rock hard so I peeled, cored, and sliced them thinly. Then I poached them just until they were fork tender.

See the recipe and instructions below:

 If your pears are nice and ripe and firm…you can eliminate this step.

Pouched Pears:

• 1&1/2 cups water

• 1/4 cups sugar

• 1/2 Tablespoons liquid honey

• 1/4 cinnamon stick

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed cloves

• 1/4 vanilla bean that has been split lengthwise

• 1 small star anise

• 2 fresh ginger slices

• 2 slices of fresh lemon..I used lime because it is more available here

• thinly sliced pears

To pouch the pears evenly, ensure they remain submerged in poaching liquid by folding a circle or square of parchment paper into a triangle. With the point of the triangle at the center of the saucepan, trim the excess paper so that it fits snugly over the fruit. Cut a hole in the center for the steam to escape, and lay the prepared paper over pears with poaching liquid.

Poach as long as is needed for the desired doneness;  gently simmer. Test with a fork. Mine took 25 minutes because the pears were very firm.

INGREDIENTS For the gingerbread:

• 1/4 cup very soft butter

I prefer to use unsalted butter for my baking. I buy boxes of it at a time at Costco and store them in the freezer.

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

La Comer sells this so I always have some in my pantry

• 1 large egg

• 1/4 cup molasses.

Here is where I needed to be creative. At Don Rudolfo’s tienda on Revolución, I asked him if he had molasses. He pointed out a bar that smelt like molasses. I decided to give it a try and it worked! I grated ¼ cup and added it where needed.

• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger

I didn’t have any in my pantry so I went to my go-to shop,  Sana Spices. She is almost next to the Empanada shop on Revolución. Oksana was there holding her gorgeous 1-month-old baby girl, Emelia. And lucky me; I got to hold Emelia, while Oksana fresh ground my ginger for me! If U don’t shop for your herbs and spices from Oksana, you definitely should.  Since discovering her at markets, I have replaced all my Mega-bought spices and herbs with those from Oksana!

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

I found the best vanilla at the most amazing price at Walmart of all places!

• 1 cup organic white flour

If you have been following me for a long time you would know to ONLY ever use organic wheat flour. Regular flour is heavily sprayed with a strong pesticide 2 weeks before it is harvested. Apparently, this dries out the kernel faster but is also very toxic. Yes, organic is expensive but you and your body are worth it!

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

I used Lala’s Crema. It is so delicious that I can eat it by the spoonful!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line the bottom of the baking pan with parchment paper.

I used my deep pie plate but you can also use a 9 or 10” round cake pan.

The Topping:

 1. Melt the butter, sugar, and honey, whisking until sugar is melted and smooth

2. Pour over the bottom of the prepared pan

3. Arrange the pear slices on top of the syrup, placing them tight together.

My picture shows you my 1st attempt. Next time I will arrange more carefully because this will be the top of my upside-down cake.

INSTRUCTIONS for the Batter:

1. Beat or stir the very soft butter and the brown sugar until well blended
2. Add the egg, grated molasses, and vanilla and beat until fully combined
3. Combine and stir the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger
4. Add ½ of these dry ingredients, and stir to combine
5. Add the crema or buttermilk, stir, and then add the last of the dry mixture

Did you know that when adding dry and wet ingredients, it is best to begin and end with flour? This is a rule I always follow.👩🏻‍🍳

6. Pour the batter over the sliced pears

7. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the entire top springs back when tested

8. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes then invert onto your serving platter.

If you used parchment paper in preparing your pan, this will be so easy for the cake to release from the pan

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. I used crema para batir and softly whipped it with no sugar added.

I can hardly believe how very flavourful, moist and holiday festive this cake is! Most definitely my new favorite. You MUST make it as soon as you have gathered up all the ingredients!!! I promise you that it will be your new favourite cake also!

If you have any questions or comments you can reach me at my web page Live Love & Eat in Sayulita. I LOVE to hear from you👩🏻‍🍳

Written by Karina Shecter

Edited by Amy Rose Pearson