I pride myself on allergen free dessert making.  I allows me to feel like I’m following Michael Pollan’s rule about eating as much junk food as I want as long as I make it and I want it to taste good.

This talent also comes in handy when wonderful friends invite you for Easter Dinner and you offer to bring dessert but forget to bake it the night before.  Ooops.  Dessert must have been good because Emily and Brian who “don’t eat many gluten free desserts” enjoyed every bite.

Pear Upside-Down Cake

Traditional upside-down cake are turned around using pears and ramekins.  The simple cake with a bit of spice and a simple sweet syrup truly makes this a treat. 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups Gluten-Free Flour
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup sugar [I use beet sugar]
• 1/4 cup maple syrup [Grade B gives a deeper flavor]
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening [Spectrum Naturals Organic Shortening is soy free and dairy free]
• 3 eggs + 1 egg white
• 1 cup of Tempt hemp milk, very warm
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (check for gluten free)
• 1/3  cup Earth Balance, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup maple syrup
• 1 can pear halves in juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and mist ramekins with oil.  This recipe makes 12 ramekins.  Place ramekins on cookie sheet to catch any spills if needed.
2. Place flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, xanthan gum, salt and sugar into mixer.  Mix on low to combine ingredients thoroughly.  Don’t skip this step because it provides the lift and fluffiness needed from this cake.  Using your fingers or a pair of forks work in the shortening until its in small pieces.  Honestly using the paddle attachment on a Kitchen Aid mixer on medium low speed will work as well…and save energy for the eating later.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg and egg white with warm milk and vanilla.  Add the wet ingredients mixing on medium high for 1 minute.  Tip: Warm any alternative milk in a saucepan or 30 second intervals in the microwave.  If done to fast it creates an “off” flavor in the finish dessert as if the milk had curdled. Trust me that gets expensive fast.
4. Mix together melted Earth Balance, remaining sugar, and remaining maple syrup.  Divide it evenly among the ramekins.  Slice pear halves into small pieces.  Add two to three pieces to the bottom of the ramekin.  If pears are in season, and you have time, peel and use them.  Canned pears are a great time saver.
5. Fill ramekins with batter dividing evening.  Place batter on top of pears leaving 1/4-1/2 inch for the cake to rise. 
6. Place in preheated oven for 45 minutes to bake.  Test with toothpick and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes if needed.  Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely before serving.

Okay I know that last instruction is the hardest.  Who lets cakes cool before eating?  Humans are designed to eat warm cookies, donuts muffins and even pieces of cake.  But trust me it’s worth it.  Allowing the cake to cool makes them easier to flip and the fun extra juice from the Earth balance, sugar and maple syrup are a great topping with the pears.

Luckily we had an entire Easter dinner to eat before enjoying these desserts.  Thanks Emily and Brian for being my taste testers and a fantastic meal with fun conversation.

**This recipe can be used to make one cake if desired.  Use a spring form pan and fan out the pears along the bottom (you may need a second can).  Bake the cake for 1 hour 10 minutes before testing.  Cool completely before turning.**