Upside Down Pear Skillet Cake is a simple but show-stopping dessert. Pears, walnuts, cinnamon, and maple make a dreamy combination of flavors. This luscious dessert will make your face dance and this recipe is easy to make even if you’re new to baking.
Upside Down Pear Skillet Cake
Why does pineapple get to have all the fun? You can use any fruit for an upside-down cake. The beauty of an upside-down cake is the juice from whatever fruit you use combined with butter and brown sugar to make a dreamy caramel sauce. Furthermore, you don’t have to frost the cake because when the bottom becomes the top all that decadent caramel seeps into the cake.
I do, however, recommend a big scoop of vanilla ice cream with your Upside Down Pear Cake.
What you’ll need to make this cake
The full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post. You can save a tree and save the recipe to your personal and private recipe box right here on Call Me PMc. This way you’ll never misplace it.
- Butter. Real butter, margarine doesn’t react the same.
- Light brown sugar. You can use dark brown sugar.
- Maple syrup. Real maple syrup.
- Pears. I used Bosc pears. You’ll want to peel, core, and slice into approx 1/4-inch thick slices
- Walnuts. Whole or pieces. Lightly toasted for beat flavor.
- All-purpose flour.
- Ground cinnamon.
- Baking soda.
- Salt.
- Greek yogurt.
- Pure vanilla extract.
- Black walnut extract.
- Granulated sugar.
- Eggs. Large eggs or the equivalent at room temperature
Upside down cake
This cake is moist. The butter and brown sugar caramelize and glaze the cake. The tart pears and walnuts offer a good texture. If you have used black walnut flavoring before, it really adds a rich depth of flavor. Some cakes are better once they sit, however, in my opinion, this cake was as good when I had a piece while it was still warm. It was equally as good two days later! It is perfectly served with a scoop of really good quality vanilla ice cream.
More fan favorite cake recipes
- Skinny Peaches & Cream Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
- Amaretto Peach Upside Down Pound Cake
- Amaretto Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake
- Pineapple Upside-Down Bread Pudding
- Peach Upside Down Cake
- Blueberry Upside-down Cake
- Pineapple Upside-Down Carrot Cake
Upside Down Pear Skillet Cake
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
For the topping:
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 large pears I used Bosc – peel, core and slice into approx 1/4-inch thick slices
- 1 cup walnut pieces lightly toasted
For the cake
- 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon black walnut extract
- ½ cup butter at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
For the topping:
- In a seasoned 10 inch cast iron skillet, melt butter and medium heat. Spread the butter out to cover the skillet. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup. Simmer, whisking until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Arrange pear slices decoratively over the sugar and butter mixture. Sprinkle walnuts over and around pears. Set aside and mix cake batter.
For the cake:
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, combine greek yogurt, vanilla, and walnut extracts. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the 1/3 cup maple syrup and mix 2 to 3 minutes. Turn mixer to low, add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Reduce the speed and add dry ingredients alternating with greek yogurt beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape bowl if necessary. Beat only long enough to incorporate the ingredients, over-beating will result in a tough cake.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Carefully drop batter by spoonfuls over pears in skillet. Spread evenly, careful not to move the pears. Bake at 350 degrees 40 to 45 minutes. Test with a wood pick in center. Wooden pick should come out clean when cake if done. Cool the cake in the skillet on a rack for 10 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edge of cake. Carefully invert cake onto a platter. I’ve found wearing oven mittens is the easiest way to do this without slipping. Remove the skillet and allow cake to cool on platter on wire rack.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition
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Ruth Leitschuck says
I just love your dessert recipes. I, too, have a sweet tooth. I look forward to all the recipes you email. Please keep them coming.
Karin Pike says
Okay, I read through the recipe I don’t know how many times, because I want to make it right now, but… where the heck does it say how high the oven has to be at? I mean, you bake a cake in the oven, right? Am I missing something? The cake looks scrumptious and I was looking forward to trying it out
Paula says
oh my gosh, sometimes no matter how careful I am I leave out a crucial step! I have corrected the recipe to say Preheat the oven and bake at 350 degrees. Thanks for asking Karin!
Karin Pike says
no problem. Found a couple of other things, though, as I was making it. You have walnut extract in the index, but maple extract in the recipe (which brought some confusion on my part, so I ended up putting my maple syrup in the yoghurt mix instead). Then later you have the maple syrup again in the butter mix.
Speaking of index, it says baing soada, rather then baking soda. And in the recipe itself you say “meat the butter”. Hope that helps
Paula says
It does contain maple syrup as well as vanilla and walnut extract but I”ve tried to clarify it better in the directions. Thanks!
Britni says
This looks incredible, yum! Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party!
Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.
Kelly says
This cake looks amazing! I love baking with pears and this cake sounds amazing with maple syrup with brown sugar 🙂 Sounds incredible and would love a big slice of this!
Diane Balch says
Not much of a diamond girl, boots I love and dessert always… love how sophisticated the seasonal tastes of this cake are… pear, maple, walnut,,, wow. Thanks for sharing it with us on foodie friday.
Liz @ Life Made Sweet says
I love love love this cake and I love that it is made with greek yogurt! It’s a magical ingredient for me. Did you used to own a bakery and are now a blogger?
Paula says
No, I made cakes/desserts special order and sold them and I made cakes/desserts for a local restaurant. It was fun!
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
Very lovely, ooey gooey goodness, Paula! Pinning it!
Paula says
Thank you!
Krista Low says
This cake looks amazing! I’ve made a few different skillet cakes and I love how they turn out. You created a fabulous recipe here with the pears. I want a slice right now 🙂
Paula says
Thank you! I wasn’t sure about it, but love how it turned out. Thanks for visiting.
Marlene @Nosh My Way says
I love your logic when it comes to dessert. Runs a close second to diamonds. Your looks mighty delicious too.
Paula says
hehe, I’m right, aren’t I? 🙂
Cheryl says
I’ve never made an upside down anything! I might have to give this a try sometime, it looks delicious. HUGS!
Paula says
It’s tricky… and stressful 🙂
Joan - My Cookie Clinic says
Paula, I really enjoyed reading this post…made me smile. This cake looks delicious. I’ve never ventured into making a cake in a skillet; I may have to give it a go. Thanks for sharing this fab recipe and enjoy your boots!
Paula says
Turning it out was iffy because the skillet was so heavy!! I was thinking about you this afternoon! I found a huge Christmas tree cookie cutter and my boys are so excited to make some! I’ve got to visit your site for tips and tricks!
Tanusree says
Your cake sounds delicious. Loving your photographs.
Paula says
Thank you so much!
Dawn ~ Spatulas On Parade says
I am all into upside down cakes lately, so this is def. something I would try.
Paula says
Thank you! IT’s really good!
carolinaheartstrings says
This is one fantastic looking recipe. You do such a great job. Come and visit us this week. We are giving away a Delta faucet for your kitchen valued at nearly $700! You will love it! c
Paula says
I will! Thanks for stopping by!
Peter @Feed Your Soul Too says
Very nice and good luck!
Paula says
Thank you Peter!
Emily says
Your cake looks beautiful Paula! When I saw it I thought it was yours 🙂
Paula says
Thank you Emily. I have one photography style, don’t I 🙂
Carrie @ Frugal Foodie Mama says
This looks amazing, Paula! 🙂 Yum!
Pinned & sharing!
Paula says
Thanks Carrie and thank you for pinning!
Cindy Eikenberg says
Paula, oh I LOVE this! There definitely are not enough desserts with pears as far as I’m concerned! 🙂 Woohoo, I’m excited to try this! Pinning and sharing! Hope you have a happy Thursday!
Paula says
Thank you, Cindy. I love how this turned out. The brown sugar and butter made a good glaze that oozed down through it, yummy – which just makes me want to eat the caramel-ly part…