Upside Down Caramel and Pear Cake

Sticky, sweet and easier than it looks. This is something you can surprise yourself with and impress your guests without trying.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup castor sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 pears
• 2 eggs
• 100g butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 100g melted butter
• 1 cup self raising flour

Method

1. Preheat fan-forced oven to 180C. Line a round cake tin with baking paper using scissors to cut a circle for the bottom and rectangles for the sides. Put caster sugar and water in a small saucepan and warm gently until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and cook until the liquid is a light golden caramel colour. Pour into the tin and swirl around to cover the base.
2. Peel, core and finely slice the pears. Arrange on top of the caramel, with points facing towards the centre.
3. Beat eggs with brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add melted butter and mix in the flour. Place spoonfuls of batter over the top of the pears and gently spread, so as not to disturb the pears.
4. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until the cake is set in the centre. Remove from oven and turn out on to a plate while the cake is still hot.