Hello sweeties! Caramelised pear upside-down cake

By Rachel Allen

PUBLISHED: 18:00 EST, 6 September 2012 | UPDATED: 16:30 EST, 7 September 2012

From traditional chocolate sponge to pretty cupcakes, TV chef Rachel Allen goes cake crazy in a scrumptious new book.

Serves 8

Serve warm: Pear upside-down cake

INGREDIENTS

75g (2¾oz) butter
125g (4½oz) brown sugar
4 pears, about 375g (13oz)
150g (5½oz) plain flour
2tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
½tsp salt l 175g (6oz) caster sugar
4 eggs
100ml (3½fl oz) sunflower oil
1tsp finely grated orange zest

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Melt the butter in a 26cm (10½in) diameter ovenproof frying pan over a low heat, then sprinkle over the brown sugar.

Grate one pear, including the skin (avoiding the pips and core), and set aside. Peel and core the remaining three pears, slice into quarters and arrange in a spiral pattern in the bottom of the pan, cut side down. Sift the flour, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and mix in the caster sugar.

Whisk the eggs, sunflower oil, orange zest and grated pear, then add to the dry ingredients, whisking to combine. Pour the batter into the frying pan, then bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then place a plate on top and carefully turn the cake upside down and out onto the plate. Serve warm.