This Pear Cranberry Upside-Down Cake is easy to make and is a perfect cake to have for your fall and winter celebrations.
This Pear Cranberry Upside-Down Cake is THE CAKE you are going to want to make this holiday season.
Because it’s pretty, it’s yummy, and it’s easy to make!
It’s Monday so I will keep it short and to the point.
This cake is made using Harry and David Royal Riviera Pears.
Do you have to use their pears to make this cake?
No, but they are one heck of a tasty pear and go really well with this recipe.
Like all upside down cakes, the cake consists of two parts.
The fruit that goes on the top and the cake batter.
Tips for making the perfect Pear Cranberry Upside Down Cake:
- Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper and thoroughly grease the sides: Lining the bottom of your pan with parchment paper will ensure your cake releases easily when you invert it. It’s an absolute must with upside down cakes. Also be sure to really butter up the sides of your pan so the sides of your cake do not stick to your pan either!
- Don’t over bake your cake: An overbaked cake is not only dry , but also more likely to stick to the pan. Take your cake out when it’s golden brown all over and springs back to the touch!
P.S. It’s a great day to buy my cookbook Holy Sweet!
Want More Pear Recipes?
Gorgonzola Walnut and Pear Flatbread
Honey Pear Ginger Bread Pudding
Honey Pear Jam Walnut Swirl Bread
Pear Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- For the Cake Top:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 ripe pears, I used Harry and David Royal Riviera
- ¾ cup fresh cranberries
- For the Cake Batter:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the topping:
Slice pears thinly, leaving the skins on; set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine butter and sugar and bring to a boil.
Take off of heat and whisk just to combine and pour into prepared pan.(This recipe calls for a 9 or 10-inch cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches tall).
Layer ½ the pear slices is a circular pattern.
Sprinkle half the cranberries on top.
Repeat with the remaining pears and cranberries.
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and beat for another 30 seconds.
Scrape down the bowl after each addition.
Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
To the butter mixture, add the flour mixture in 3 increments, the milk in two, starting and ending with the flour, beating on low speed between each addition.
Stir in the vanilla.
Pour the batter evenly over the pears and cranberries (do the best you can).
Bake for about 45 minutes if using a 10-inch pan and about 55 minutes for a 9-incher.
The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and immediately invert onto a large cake plate.
Let cool for about 15 minutes.
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo and leave a comment!
Be sure to follow bakerpeabody on instagram and tag #bakerpeabody with your photo! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Sweet ReciPEAs Facebook page. I’d love to see what you make!
Kristen says
To be quite honest, I already have this recipe bookmarked, so if I’m the lucky winner, they’re going straight into this cake. 🙂
Lindsey says
This looks awesome but I would honestly probably just eat fresh cut up as is since I love pears and Harry and David’s fruit is really the best. I got H&D oranges as a gift one year and grocery store oranges just will never satisfy anymore 😉 xo
Cassie says
Ooh, yum! We’d probably just end up eating the pears right out of the box, but if I did manage to snag a few for a recipe, besides trying that awesome cake, I’d probably throw a few in my cast iron skillet to go alongside a rosemary garlic rubbed rack of lamb. The pears add a wonderful balance. http://cassiepuff.net/blog/?p=2526
Brandy says
Oh Man that looks awesome! I would absolutely use them for this recipe or eat them out of the box or in a salad with a little gorgonzola 🙂 The possibilities are endless LOL
Sarah C says
Yum! I’ll either be trying your cake with the pears or slicing them up for my two year old to eat – he loves pears!
Rebecca says
I’ve never had a pear from Harry and David before, but I’ve heard such amazing things about them I think I would just have to enjoy them and eat them as they are!
Katie says
I’ll probably just eat them straight-up. My favorite way to enjoy pears!
Ginny says
We would eat some and then probably make this cake as “baby Jesus’s birthday cake”
Karen says
Most of them will probably be eaten plain by my six year old. The rest will go into some type of baked good, possible this cake.
Vicki says
i would heat up a wheel of brie cheese in the microwave just til it is melty, slice up the pears, break open the brie and dip it up……yum!!!!
Jeri says
I’ve been wanting to make a pear, gingerbread upside-down cake for the longest, but I apparently live in a pear-deprived neighborhood. I’m crossing my fingers.
Chris says
That cake looks amazing. No doubt about it- I’d use the pears to make your Pear Cranberry Upside-Down Cake!
Stephani says
Pears are one of my favorite fruits, and this cake looks delicious, so I would make it, or maybe a pear pie!
Debbie says
Poached in port and served with blue cheese and candied walnuts. 🙂
heather says
If I won this one I would give it to my dad. I like to eat my pears on vanilla ice cream.
karen says
I’d enjoy them with some fine cheese.
Donna @ What the Dog Ate says
Looks yummy although I think I would just eat the pears straight up! Thanks for the giveaway.
Jessicaisbaking says
I would probably eat them solo! I’m boring like that!
Isela G. says
I’d totally try that cake, and devour the rest… I love pears!
Marlene Colvin says
I will use that wonderful Pear Cake recipe. Will remind me of the pears from my tree in Idaho.
Amelia B. says
i love fresh pears best, but I’d probably have to fight my daughter for them. Maybe a spiced pear sauce for snacks or lunches?
Catherine says
I would have to join the rest of the folks who say eat straight out of the box! I don’t bake with pear often but this recipe looks great!
Erin M. says
I love these pears! They are delicious! I’d try to make this cake with them!
Megan P. says
That cake looks lovely, but I’d probably just eat the pears as is. I tend to like my fruit best fresh rather than baked or cooked.
stephanie says
Ohhh! Kristan (from confessionsofacookbookqueen.com) makes some Pear Praline Wedding Cookies I have been dying to try. (P.S. Thanks for the idea. Just ordered some gifts from Harry and David… in-laws done!)
KatIe says
Fresh with blue cheese and crackers
Barb S says
Either this recipe or pear chocolate jam
Carrie says
My husband and I have been on a salad kick lately (trying to balance out the holiday goodies with some moderation), so I’d probably incorporate some pears into our salads. Then we’d finish off with a slice of this scrumptious-looking cake … 😉
Isla says
I make custard pear bars with roasted pears, brown butter, and crumble top. I would definietly just eat these though, yum!
Tiffany P. says
I would make the recipe exactly as printed! Nothing is better than a warm upside cake!
EH says
I’ll just be devouring them right out of the box!!!!
Paula C. says
This is one tasty looking cake…wow! If I win, I would like to maybe make something like the cake in the picture, but I probably won’t get the chance, unless I hide them! lol (hubby & children) Happy Holidays!
NANCY says
the cake looks so yummy I will try them in that and then maybe mixed with cinnamon and sugar in coffee cake muffins. or maybe just to eat.
Meg says
I’d eat them plain!
Jaime says
I have a recipe bookmarked with whole pears baked into a loaf cake…yum!
Sarah S says
I would just eat them. Their pears are so delicious. That, or I might make some pear-ginger muffins.
Julie says
Hmm, I’d probably use a couple in this cake (which looks amazing!), but most I would just eat plain!
Charlene A. Marshall says
Love this recipe! I plan on giving them to my sister, they are her favorite! I’m sure she will share them though! 😉
Anne says
Maida Heatter’s recipe for Ginger-Pear Crisp calls for large, perfect pears, like the Harry & David pears. I got some as a gift last year, and they were fabulous in the crisp, so I’d make that for sure. And some of them, of course, would be eaten out of hand because they’re just so good.
Gloria Alvarado says
I’ll be making this beautiful Pear Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Stephanie says
At least one will have to just be eaten plain… The rest would be destined for this recipe I saw on Pinterest involving rum …..or was it bourbon?… And raisins and pecans…. There was baking involved too… Now I have to find that pin again! 🙂
Alice says
What to do with pears? What to do? Eat them, of course!
theresa krier says
hi, i am drooling just looking at your cake, yum ! i know i would eat the pears fresh but i would really love to try this cake recipe, thanks so much !
DAWN RENEE' says
A cake, if there are any left from eating just the way nature intended lol!
Heather says
I love eating pears as is. However, some of them would likely go into pear and ginger muffins. Yum!!
JoeyfromSC says
YUM! I love Pears!! I would probably make this delicious looking cake lol:) Thanks for the recipe!
I’d of course eat some as is! Happy Holidays & thanks for the chance to win!
Joey J.
Deborah Haseltine says
I will peel them, slice, top with mayo and top with shredded cheese. That is…IF… My family does not eat them straight from the box!!!!
Marilyn B. says
These look fabulous! We love pears poached in wine, and your cake recipe looks stupendous. I have saved it and if I am the lucky winner, I will surely give it a try.
Darren Stokes says
I would make the Pare upside down cake. Yum!
Julie S says
that pear upside down cake looks amazing! It would be first on my list.
Carole Resnick says
I would use some of the pears to make this recipe. I would eat the rest out of hand with a napkin pinned under my chin.
Linda says
Oh, I’m going to make this beautitul upside down cake for Christmas dinner, that’s for sure!! 🙂
Marguerite says
I love those pears so I would share them with my family and eat them plain. My 94-year old mother loves them.
Jeanne says
Roasted pears with a maple sauce
Dana C says
I am not very well versed in baking with pears, but I would love to give this cake a try or maybe a pear pie would be tasty.
Gloria R. says
i am going to make a spice white wine and honey sauce then baste onto the pears. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 min. until bubbling and lightly brown. These are scrumptious. 🙂
DJ B. says
I will be using these pears for a cranberry pear compote, and an eggnog hazelnut pear cheesecake.
Debie G says
Well. I would slice the pears & have them with blue cheese…yummy!
jacquie says
i would just eat them! and perhaps combine a few with apples in a nice fall crisp.
Dana says
I would eat them out of hand or maybe with some strong cheddar cheese.
Gin says
I would eat some with a nice cheese, and puree some into my vanilla pear yogurt smoothies!
Denise says
I would make that upside down pear cake you made!
It looks yummy and I’ve never made an upside down cake!
MaryB says
I would make pear pie!
Amy S says
I would eat them as is!
Lisa Varner says
I’d try making a pear streusal pie. I’ve never made one before but have seen some recipes and they look mighty tasty!
tiffany beddoe says
Serve with delicious chees and bake something sweet 🙂 We love pears, what a treat this would be!
Joy says
I’d love to say I was going to actually do something with them but really I’d eat them… Harry and David pears are AMAZING
Turner says
I would love to use the pears to make this pretty cake!
Sonya Duran says
I would send them to my family to enjoy over the holidays
Norma G says
I would use these pears for this recipe and use them in a pear and blue cheese salad.
Kimberly Hamilton says
I’d eat them for a yummy snack or slice them up to put on a salad.
K says
I’d use them to make your upside down cake! It looks amazing.