Pear Upside-Down Graham Cake

 I had some freshly picked pears and graham flour to use up and I combined them into this not-too-sweet, whole grain cake. The graham flour adds really nice nutty, honeyed notes, but if you can't find it, you can use whole wheat flour.

Pear Upside-Down Graham Cake

Ingredients

Base:

• 3 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces  
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 3 eaches pears - peeled, cored, and sliced

Batter:

• 1 ½ cups graham flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature  
• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk

Instructions

 Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pan with 2-inch sides and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

 Step 2

Add butter pieces to the pan. Place in the preheating oven until melted. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Arrange sliced pears in a circular pattern over the butter and brown sugar. Set aside.

 Step 3

Whisk graham flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.

 Step 4

Combine butter, brown sugar, oil, and honey in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat for 1 minute. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk; beat briefly after each addition.

 Step 5

Pour batter carefully over the pears. Smooth the top.

 Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and peel off parchment paper. Allow to cool completely.

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