Pear Upside Down Gingerbread Cake with a Caramel Glaze and Cardamom Whipped Cream

Warmly spiced gingerbread and pears are the sensation of the Autumn season. Pears are poached in caramel sauce as the cake bakes. Serve with plenty of cardamom whipped cream. Inspired by Jennifer Lindner McGlinn in her Gingerbread book.

3 pears, sliced (stem & seeds picked out)

½ cup caramel sauce

1 ⅓ cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cardamom

6 Tbsp butter, melted

½ cup molasses

⅓ cup brown sugar

1 egg

½ cup milk

Preheat oven to 350*. Prepare a 9“ springform pan, cut a piece of parchment 1 inch larger than the pan and press up the sides (this will help to hold the caramel sauce in the pan). Spray parchment with coconut oil and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Slice pears and place decoratively on the parchment. Warm the caramel sauce and pour over the pears. Sift the flour over your mixing bowl and whisk in the salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. Gently stir in the butter, molasses, brown sugar, egg and milk until just mixed in. Pour over caramelized pears. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested.

Cardamom Whipped Cream

1 cup cream

¼ cup brown sugar

½ tsp cardamom

Beat in the mixer, cream and brown sugar to soft peaks, add the cardamom and mix to incorporate. Spoon a large dollop on the dessert plate and top with a slice of the cake.