Cardamom Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake
Why is football season not over with yet? WHY GOD, WHY?!
I was recently given a box of pears. Yes, a box. And honestly, I don’t really eat much fruit. I just don’t care for fruit. Weirdly enough, I would rather eat vegetables. Not in a paleo-nazi-food-pretentious kind of way, but in a Ilikevegetableswithbaconalot kind of way. So I was a bit lost when I saw the pears. Since snacking on fruit just wasn’t going to work for me, I thought of dessert right away. Obviously. If I’m gonna eat fruit, it better be in a dessert and it better be beautiful. That’s where this little gem came from. Upside down cakes are so weirdly sexy. So that’s what I made. A sexual cake.
Get your head out of the gutter.
While I was getting my hair done yesterday and chatting up a storm to my hair stylist, she started to ask me about what I’ve planned for the wedding. Here’s the thing…I haven’t planned anything. When you’re planning a destination wedding, you don’t have to plan much. You invite people, you show up, and you hope for the best. At least that’s what I’ve been following. I have a dress, I have an appointment for getting it altered, and well, that’s about it. So I started thinking about what else needs to be done in the next 4 months. And well, time is going by extra fast. I leave out of town next week for a trip to Texas then a couple days back home then I’m off to Costa Rica.
So by the time I’m back in Colorado and settled after my two trips, BOOM, it’s February. Which means I have to start thinking about some things:
- Where to find a veil. Balls. That sh*t is expensive.
- When to get my chemical peel so my face be lookin’ extra baby butt soft.
- Buy hair extensions and get them cut to my own hair. Gotta fake like I have thicker hair than I actually do. Honestly, I may be wearing those things daily after I get them.
- Find bridesmaid dresses. I’m letting my ladies pick their own dresses, but I’ll be sending them a few to choose from if they aren’t into looking themselves. But I also want to wait until February, when shorter dresses come out. Because um, Jamaica is hot. And long dresses are hot. So I don’t want them to be as miserable as I will be.
- Find groomsmen outfit. Because I know my guy isn’t picking that stuff out by himself.
- Send sh*t to Jamaica so our marriage is actually legal here. That is kind of a big deal.
- Buy a million swim suits.
- Make goodie bags for the rooms of everyone coming.
- I don’t know what the hell else, ok!?!?
I could have never planned a wedding back here in Colorado. That stuff is way too complicated.
WAIT. Before you make this, did you see my two brand new, never before seen recipes that are in the Best of Paleo 2015 Ebook?! I made you guys Butternut Squash Tom Kha Gai Soup AND Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Bread! Both recipes are easy and delicious! Find those two recipes PLUS 190 other recipes in this ebook that’s only $29.95! Click here to find out more about it!
Cardamom Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Tin Star Ghee Brown Butter
- 1/3 cup maple or coconut sugar*
- 3 pears, halved and sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
For the batter
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cups tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs at room temperature, whisked
- 3 tablespoons Tin Star Ghee Brown Butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons maple or coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan then cut out a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and place in the bottom.
- Place a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the ghee and sugar and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Then add pear slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon and cardamon and toss until pears become soft. About 5 minutes. Let cool.
- Once cool to the touch, arrange in the bottom of the cake pan however you’d prefer. I did a fan pattern which left me with a few leftover pear slices. But you can make any decision you’d like. Once the pears are arranged in the pan, pour the rest of the caramel mixture that’s in the saute pan on top of the pears.
- In a large bowl, add almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, and salt. Whisk until combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, ghee, coconut sugar, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until coconut sugar dissolves.
- Add liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix until combine.**
- Pour batter on top of the pear caramel mixture and smooth out on top.
- Place in oven to bake for 40-43 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Begin checking the cake at around 35 minutes since oven temperatures will range.
- Let cake rest for 10 minutes outside the oven then place a plate or a cake stand over it, flip then tap the bottom of the cake pan to make sure it comes out.
- Cut into slices then serve!
Notes
*I used maple sugar in this recipe because i like the flavor and the color of maple sugar better than coconut sugar.
**Since different tapioca flours and coconut flours sometimes react differently, you may need to add a little more almond milk. If the batter seems to thick and does not pour, add a bit more almond milk.
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Eggnog Glazed Gingerbread Cake
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28 thoughts on “Cardamom Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake”
This looks amazing! ???????????? and what are you coming down to Texas for?!? ????
visiting Cassy from fedandfit.com in San Antonio!
I got married in August and I can add to your list!
If you’re having a DJ, make a list of songs you hate so you aren’t accidentally dancing to YMCA at your wedding reception!
If you have any friends who are already married and their veil goes with your dress, borrow theirs! I had a few friends who were excited to share and it can be “something borrowed”
Also, wear-in your wedding shoes so you don’t hate your life after 10 minutes in them on your wedding day!
You could also do none of those things and have an amazing wedding which is the best part, so don’t stress because it’ll be fun no matter what 🙂
The wedding list will get taken care of and your wedding will be beautiful! As for this cake, holy yum…..I want a giant slice for breakfast. This recipe looks like something my husband would even love and that I could whip up in no time. Thanks for sharing!
Sorry but I NEVER want football season to end haha.
I didn’t think I was going to wear a veil so I never went shopping, but I ended up borrowing a friends which was perfect (and free)! What else do you need… hmmmm… are you going to put together any kind of printed schedule for your guests, so they know what’s happening when?
Also have to add that every time I comment I get an error on the little code (I know I enter it correctly), but then the second time I try it always works. FYI!
Wow I can’t wait too try this!
Have you thought about Etsy for a veil?
Since the winter is a slower time for weddings, the bridesmaids might have better luck finding dresses on sale at bridal stores or online bridal companies. Some stores may have last season’s short dresses on sale to make room for the new spring and summer collection. Just a thought!
I just asked myself yesterday “what would I ever use the Tin Star brown butter for?” and voila, you delivered 🙂
Never had a wedding, but been to plenty. My new go-to move is to walk into Nordstrom that morning, say “I’ve got a wedding at (whatever time), show me what you’ve got” and 30 minutes later I have the perfect dress in a bag headed back home. I’m such a good planner. But Nordies never disappoints when it comes to selection in both price and formality (long and casual, long and fancy, short and fancy, short and sassy, etc, etc, etc) year round!
Planning a wedding is way more stressful than I thought it would be! It is totally not all pinterest and rainbows..#firstworldproblems?
I’m using weddingtonway.com for my bridesmaids dresses. It’s really easy and stress free…and they have dresses for all sizes and shapes and a showroom that all of your bridesmaids can collaborate in 🙂
I don’t even want to think about all of things I have to do…I totally should have had a destination wedding!
wow this cake looks so delicious. have to try it
Kisses from http://poshnessary.com ❤
Juli,
Do you regularly get facials? A lot of aestheticians will recommend that you do not get a chemical peel if you do not regularly get facials. Chemical peels are very hard on your skin and facials help build up your skin to be ready for a chemical peel. If you do get a peel I would recommend you do it 2 weeks before the wedding. They can take up to a week for your skin to stop peeling and be completely heeled.
Just a heads up!
i actually work with a medical esthetician so we are doing different things on a monthly basis, mostly lasers, so we have a bit of a plan leading up to my wedding. thanks for the recommendation though!
Costa Rica!! One of my favorites. My brother and sister in law moved there 3 years ago and love it; I try to go as often as I can. Where in CR are you going?
Hi Juli! I would LOVE to know if you have any recommendations in Denver for hair extensions. They’re so damn expensive, but when you’ve got little baby hairs like me, ya gotta get creative! Thanks!
i’m just getting clip in ones that you can find any Sally’s and are real hair!
I made this and it was amazing! Thank you!
Think this would work well with apples?? I have a bunch I need to use before they go bad.
yes!
This looks so yummy!!! I love your blog you are so funny and so down to earth with your approach to paleo I just love it. Just wondering what almond flour is your fave? I’m looking for one with a finer texture (I have been using bobs red mill) thanks so much!!
honeyville almond flour is most paleo bakers favorite! they all think it’s the best consistency! hope you love the recipe!!
I made this today with apples and LOVED it! I had some trouble with the caramel part (the sugar wouldn’t dissolve, then because of the heat it quickly formed a solid, hard chunk separate from the oil) but it could have something to do with the fact that I used coconut oil instead of ghee. On my third try with it I just mixed in the apples very shortly after putting the oil and sugar into the pan and it turned out wonderfully! Thanks for writing and posting such a lovely recipe. 🙂
★★★★★
Mmmmm…..delicious cake!!! It turned out truely amazing!! I replaced all the sugar ingredients for pure maple sirup, and it is just fabulous! Great recipe!! Will definetly make it again since we grow our own pears in our garden.
glad you loved it, tilly!!
i made this yesterday for a birthday, and it was AMAZING. i used apples instead of pears, omitted the cardamom because i didn’t have any on hand, and baked it for exactly 35 minutes–it turned out SO GOOD. almost the entire cake was devoured between 6 people, and then my husband polished off the rest this morning with some coffee. it’s the perfect fall dessert! i also loved it because it’s not overly sweet. i will absolutely be making this again!!! such a winner. thank you for a bombass recipe!!!!
awesome!! so glad you guys loved it!!
Love this recipe! We made it for the first time last spring, and I made it again on Saturday for my daughter’s birthday party…and again today for her actual birthday (her request). I subbed maple syrup for the coconut sugar and I used avocado oil instead of the brown butter. SO yummy. Thanks for another great recipe!
so happy to hear you made it again!!
Just made this and the smell in my kitchen is amazing. Only recipe note I have is that I cut the pears too thin at first. They need a bit of body. Might specify how thick to cut the slices!