Pear Upside-Down Cake

PREPARE THE PAN AND PEARS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x2" round cake pan with a round of parchment paper. Spray with vegetable spray and set aside.
2. Peel 2 large ripe pears, slice in half and remove the seeds (I use a melon baller for this). Slice the pears into ¼" slices and arrange over the parchment paper, slightly overlapping the pears.

MAKE THE CARAMEL:

1. Add 1 cup sugar and ½ teaspoon lemon juice to a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Don't stir or disturb it. The crystals closest to the pan will begin to melt and caramelize.
2. Once it starts to dissolve, carefully stir it to mix the sugar crystals on top with the melted sugar beneath it. Do not splash the sugar onto the sides of the pan. (If a lot of sugar crystals stick to the sides of the pan, you can brush them down with a little water, but it's easier if you don't get the sugar on the pan.)
3. Continue to cook, allowing the sugar to caramelize and darken to a medium-amber color, but remove it from the heat before it gets too dark or smells like it's burning. Stir in ¼ cup unsalted butter one tablespoon at a time, until melted before adding the next tablespoon.
4. Immediately pour the caramel sauce over the pears. It will fill in and around the gaps. Set aside.

MAKE THE CRANBERRY CAKE

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
2. Place ½ cup unsalted butter in a large bowl and use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat until soft and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go.
3. Add 1 cup light brown sugar to the butter and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, beating until well blended before adding the next egg.
4. Combine ½ cup milk and 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or paste) and whisk together.
5. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture to the creamed butter, beating just until the ingredients are combined before adding the next. Do this in 5 additions starting with the flour. The batter will be thick.
6. Fold in 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, if using.
7. Spoon the batter over the pears and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before running a sharp knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it. Place a cake platter over the top of the cake and quickly invert it onto the platter. Lift the pan and pull away the parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature.