Vegan Caramelized Pear Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

For the caramelized pears

  • 3 ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp vegan butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

For the cake

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup unsweetened plant milk
  • ⅓ cup neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

Instructions

  1. Prepare the oven: Heat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. Make the caramel: Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Stir for 2–3 minutes until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  3. Arrange the pears: Pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan. Arrange the pear slices neatly over the caramel, slightly overlapping them.
  4. Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  5. In another bowl, whisk together plant milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and applesauce.
  6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix just until combined. Don’t overmix.
  7. Carefully spread the batter over the pears and smooth the top.
  8. Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10–15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, place a serving plate over the pan, and carefully invert the cake.
  10. Remove the parchment paper and let the caramel settle over the pears. Serve warm or at room temperature.