Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Honey Pear Upside Down Cake

Honey butter cake layers, baked with caramelized pears and covered in a honey cream cheese frosting.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Cake
Keyword: honey, Honey pear upside down cake, pear
Servings: 1 3-layer, 8-inch cake
Author: cakebycourtney

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 (300 g) cups sugar
  • 4 eggs room temperature
  • 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (12 g)  baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) salt
  • 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (115 g) honey
  • 2 teaspoons (8.4) gvanilla
  • 3 pears pealed and sliced
  • 3 tablespoons (42.4 g)  butter
  • 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (14.8 g) water

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

  • 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
  • 4 ounces (112.5 g) cream cheese slightly chilled
  • 7 cups (875 g)  powdered sugar
  • 4  tablespoons (87.5 g) honey
  • *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

  • Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the water and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely melted. Add the sliced pears and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside. 
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, honey and vanilla. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Gradually add in the dry and wet ingredients, alternating between the two, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  • In two of the pans, evenly place the pears on the parchment paper. Pour 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce over the pears in each pan. 
  • Evenly divide the batter between the three cake pans (about 16 to 17 ounces in each), being careful to gently spread the batter over the pears. 
  • Bake for 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let cool in pans for 5-10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
  • Reserve the leftover "caramel sauce." Once the cakes are cooled, drizzle the remaining sauce over the top of the cake layer that doesn't have pears. 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar on low speed until it is all combined. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Mix in honey.

ASSEMBLY

  • Place first cake layer, pear-side up, on a cake plate. Cover the top of the layer with about a cup of buttercream. I like to use a piping bag to ensure I evenly cover the cake.
  • Place second cake layer, pear-side up, on top of the frosting and cover it in frosting.
  • Place the third cake layer, top-side down, on top of the second layer of frosting. Frost a crumb coat around the entire cake and set in the freezer for about 15 minutes to set before applying the remaining frosting.