5 from 279 votes
Vegan Pear Upside Down Cake
The Vegan Pear Upside Down Cake features thinly sliced pears caramelized with maple syrup or brown sugar layered beneath a moist, aromatic vegan batter enriched with pear purée and warming spices like cinnamon. Its texture balances a tender crumb with the soft fruit topping. This cake is suitable for vegan diets and offers a fruity twist to traditional upside-down cakes, making it a good dessert option when pears are in season or when looking for a plant-based treat.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings:
8
Calories:
234 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American, Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 pear thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick
- 3 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar for more caramelized, or half of each
Cake:
Wet:
- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk such as almond, soy
- 1/4 cup pear purée I usually blend up leftover pear and use it, or applesauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon or cinnamon + cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice or chai spice
Dry:
- 1.5 cups flour (I use a mix of all purpose and wheat), see notes for Glutenfree
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Line a 8 or 9 inch cake pan with parchment at the bottom. Arrange pear slices as you like. Pour the maple syrup (or sprinkle the sugar) all over the pear slices. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180C)
- Blend the remaining pear in a blender with 1-2 tsp of water until it is like applesauce. Measure out 1/4 cup of the puree and use in the cake. Or use applesauce.
- Mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
- Mix the baking powder, baking soda and salt into the flour. Add 1.25 cups flour to the wet and mix in. Add 1-2 tbsp more at a time to make a thick batter, not too stiff but not too flowy.
- Pour gently on top of the pear slices in the cake pan and spread to even it out.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick from the enter comes out clean.
- Cool for 15 mins, then remove cake by inverting it over a dish. Carefully peel off the parchment.
- Sprinkle a good pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice or other fave spice blend on the pears. Cool for another 10 mins, then slice and serve with whipped coconut cream or vegan ice cream
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Substitute the flour blend with gluten-free options: 1/2 cup white rice or oat flour, 1 1/4 cups almond flour, 1/3 cup potato starch, and 1 tablespoon flax seed meal.
- For an oil-free cake, replace the oil with 2 tablespoons applesauce plus 2 tablespoons non-dairy yogurt.
- The cake yields multiple servings and should be cooled 15 minutes before inverting to preserve the caramelized pear layer.
Nutrition Information
Calories
234kcal
(12%)
Carbohydrates
39g
(13%)
Protein
2.2g
(4%)
Fat
7g
(11%)
Saturated Fat
0.3g
(2%)
Sodium
193mg
(8%)
Potassium
225mg
(5%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
18g
(36%)
Vitamin A
10IU
(0%)
Vitamin C
2.6mg
(3%)
Calcium
98mg
(10%)
Iron
1.3mg
(7%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 234
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 234kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 2.2g | 4% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Sodium | 193mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 225mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 10IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 2.6mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 98mg | 10% |
| Iron | 1.3mg | 7% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.