Pear and Almond Upside Down Cake

Wow, what a week! There's been no end of stresses at the Châteaux Boulanger this week, so it was a great relief to be able to bake this beauty. It's a real sweet treat, with caramelly pears topping a moist sponge and is delicately flavoured with both almonds and vanilla. Just a sliver will be enough to send most into throes of cakey ecstasy, but after the week I've had I'll be hoovering up a slab!

Prep time: 20 Minutes
Baking time: 40-45 Minutes
For the topping
100g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
150g Light Muscovado Sugar
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1tbsp Golden Syrup

For the sponge
150g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
100g Light Muscovado Sugar
50g Caster Sugar
2 Medium Eggs
1/2tsp Almond Extract
100g Ground Almonds
75g Plain Flour
1/2tsp Baking Powder

3 Good sized Pears (Ripe)

Caramelly topping first! Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep loose bottomed tin and line the base with baking paper. I cut the paper to be slightly bigger than the base itself so it overlaps by a few mm, as I think it helps prevent any juicy leakage. In a bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then stir through the vanilla extract and golden syrup. Blob the mixture onto the bottom of the tray and spread it gently towards the edges.

For the sponge, in a fresh bowl cream together the butter and both sugars, then beat in the eggs with the almond extract. Fold through the ground almonds, then sift in the flour with the baking powder and mix it all together to a smooth batter. Set to one side whilst you prepare the pears.

Peel and core the pears, then slice thinly. Arrange on top of the caramel base, layering and overlapping as you go. Spoon the sponge mixture on top of the pears and very gently smooth it around. Place in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the cake. Remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 15 minutes, then gently remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely. You should probably set a plate under the wire rack to catch any dripping syrup. All finished!