Pistachio-Pear Upside-Down Cake

A moist cake made with nutty, sweet pistachio cream paired with cardamom-orange pears and a pistachio caramel makes this an upside-down cake recipe you'll be dreaming about.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1 5

Total Time: 1 35

Servings:

Calories: 362kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Pistachio caramel layer:

4 tablespoons butter
½ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
½ cup pistachios (lightly crushed; See Note 1)

Pears:

¾ pound Bartlett pears (about 2 large pears; peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon orange zest
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom

Batter:

¾ cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons pistachio cream
2 tablespoons orange juice (freshly squeezed)
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk

For serving:

Vanilla ice cream (or whipped cream)
Pistachios (crushed)
Pistachio cream

Instructions

Make the pistachio caramel:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup of light brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens slightly in color.
Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream. Whisk until smooth. Add the crushed pistachios to the caramel and stir until combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth it into an even layer. Transfer to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Prepare the pears:

Place the sliced pears in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of orange zest, and ¾ teaspoon of ground cardamom. Toss gently to combine. Set aside.

Make the batter:

Sift ¾ cup of cake flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
Add 4 tablespoons of butter and ½ cup of light brown sugar to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of pistachio cream, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1 teaspoon of orange zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
Add half the sifted dry ingredients and beat with the mixer until just combined. Add half the milk and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining milk. Beat until just combined. Don’t over-mix!

Assemble the cake:

Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator. Pour the sliced pears over the caramel and gently press them into the caramel. Pour the batter over the pears and smooth it into an even layer.

Bake the upside-down cake:

Transfer the cake to the oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. The cake should still be warm to the touch.

To serve:

Place a large plate over the cake pan and carefully flip the cake onto the plate. Once the cake has been transferred to the plate, carefully peel away and discard the parchment paper. Cut and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top. Add a sprinkle of crushed pistachios and a drizzle of pistachio cream on top, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: I use pistachios with sea salt. I don’t find them too salty, but you can use raw, unsalted pistachios if you prefer.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @triedandtruerecipes or tag #triedandtruerecipes so I can feature you in my feed!