KitchenAid 400 Gingered Pear Upside-Down Cake, ⁄4 cup 60 ml butter or margarine, Large ripe pear

Gingered Pear Upside-Down Cake

Topping

1⁄2 cup (120 ml) packed brown sugar

1⁄4 cup (60 ml) butter or margarine

1tablespoon (15 ml) light corn syrup

1tablespoon(15 ml) finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 large ripe pear

Cake

1cup (235 ml) granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup (120 ml) shortening

1teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla

2eggs

11⁄2 cups (355 ml) all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup (120 ml) low-fat milk

1tablespoon (15 ml) finely chopped crystallized ginger

11⁄2 teaspoons (7 ml) baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon (2 ml) nutmeg

1⁄4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt

To make Topping, combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup in small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until smooth. Pour evenly into 9-inch (23-cm) round or square cake pan that has been sprayed with no- stick cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with chopped ginger. Set aside.

To make Cake, place granulated sugar, shortening, and vanilla in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about

45 seconds. Continuing on Speed 2, add eggs and mix about 45 seconds longer. Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining cake ingredients and mix about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl. Turn to Speed 6 and beat about 1 minute.

Peel, core, and slice pear. Arrange pear slices evenly over sugar mixture in pan. Spread batter evenly over pear slices.

Bake at 350ºF (177°C) for 45 to 55 minutes, or until centre springs back when touched lightly. Let stand in pan about 3 minutes. Invert onto serving plate.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings.

Per serving: About 462 cal, 5 g pro, 66 g carb, 21 g fat, 70 mg chol, 210 mg sod.

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