Pear Upside Down Cake

This pear upside down cake with a buttery caramel sauce is an elegant but easy Thanksgiving dessert. With a moist vanilla cake center and caramelized top, it’ll be the star of the evening.

Why You’ll Love This Pear Upside-Down Cake

This pear upside down cake is perfect if you’re trying to cut back on sugar without sacrificing all the homemade desserts the holiday season comes with.

• Freezer-friendly. Get a head start on the holiday baking craze and make the cake in advance.
• Great for the holidays. Something about spiced pears just screams Thanksgiving, but this dessert can easily make an appearance at Christmas or New Year’s dinners too.
• No granulated sugars. This recipe uses two kinds of Splenda for sweetness without any of the sugar highs that come with granulated sugars.
• Versatile. Turn it into fluffy muffins, add tart cranberries, or top the cake with whipped cream. You’re in charge!

Recipe Ingredients

Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves make all the difference in this tender pear upside down cake. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

• Pears – They can be peeled or un-peeled.

For the Caramel

• SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend – Use your favorite calorie-free sweetener if the brand carries a brown sugar-like blend.
• Water – Don’t swap this for milk because it won’t caramelize the sweetener.
• Butter – I prefer unsalted butter. Skip the salt for the caramel if you use salted butter.
• Spices – You need ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Salt – Avoid coarse sea salt because it’s harder to dissolve.

For the Cake

• All-purpose flour – Don’t use cake flour because it won’t give the cake the structure it needs to hold the caramelized pears.
• Baking powder – Check the expiration date before adding it in.
• Salt – Kosher salt is best.
• SPLENDA® Naturals Sugar & Stevia Sweetener Blend – This is an alternative for sugar, but coconut sugar is a good swap.
• Eggs – They must be at room temperature so they don’t separate the batter.
• Plain yogurt – Make sure it’s unsweetened. It can be regular or Greek yogurt.
• Vanilla extract – It helps round out the flavors but you can leave it out.
• Canola oil – Feel free to use vegetable or corn oil instead.

What Are The Best Pears For Baking?

Bosc pears are best for baking because they hold up well against the heat. This means they won’t dissolve into the batter and you’ll have lovely slices of pears sitting beautifully on top of your cake as you cut into it. If you can’t find Bosc pears, Anjou, Concorde, and French Butter varieties work too.

How To Make Pear Upside Down Cake

Homemade caramel makes the pears stick together for an impressive, fruity, and holiday-packed upside down cake. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.

• Prep the oven. Preheat it to 350F. Generously grease a 9″ round cake pan with cooking spray. Arrange pear slices on the bottom of the cake pan. Set it aside.

• Make the caramel. Combine the caramel ingredients in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the Splenda is completely dissolved. Pour the sauce over the pears in the cake pan.
• Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a small bowl. Mix well and set it aside.
• Prep the wet ingredients. Combine the Splenda, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth.
• Fold them. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, pouring in the oil to help incorporate the batter.

• Bake it. Pour the batter over the caramel pears in the cake pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Serve. Remove the cake from the pan. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

Making muffins out of this spiced pear upside down cake recipe reduces clean-up for large gatherings because you don’t need serving plates.

• Use add-ins. Mixing 1/2-1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or dried cranberries into the batter will give you more flavor and texture.
• More fruits. Swap one of the pears for a sliced Royal Gala, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith apple for an easy variation.
• Make muffins. Grease a muffin tray with cooking spray. Arrange pears along the bottom of each cavity as usual. Pour batter into each one until 3/4s full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once out of the oven, wait 15 minutes before flipping the tray over.
• Cover it. If the top and edges of the cake start turning a dark brown around the 30 minute mark, cover the cake pan with foil to prevent burning.
• Check the temperature. Sometimes ovens aren’t properly calibrated and bake at very different temperatures than the one you set them to. Avoid this by sticking an oven thermometer on the oven rack the cake is on. Adjust the temperature dial as needed until you’re actually baking at 350F.

What To Serve With Upside Down Cake

This pear upside down cake is great on its own or topped with my Homemade Whipped Cream. A scoop of my Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is amazing with it too. For drink ideas, try my Sweet Cream Iced Coffee or Iced Chai Tea Latte. If you’re craving a cocktail, go for my Maple Old Fashioned, Spiced Mulled Wine, or Holiday Spiked Eggnog.

Proper Storage

The cake’s actually better the next day so make sure you have some time to let it rest before your dinner party.

• Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also tightly cover the cake pan with foil. Keep it away from strong-smelling foods to prevent the transfer of odors.
• Freezer: Wrap it whole or sliced in plastic wrap twice. Transfer it to a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 30 minutes.

More Fall Desserts To Try

• Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
• Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars
• Cranberry Orange Scones
• Homemade Pecan Pie

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