INVERT CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, and line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease parchment paper, and set aside. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium. Add maple syrup and brown sugar, and cook, whisking frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until a thermometer inserted into caramel registers 240°F, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour caramel into prepared pan, gently tilting pan to spread caramel into an even layer; cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Working with pear slices smallest in diameter to largest in diameter, arrange pear slices in a spiral pattern on top of caramel, working from center toward edges of cake pan, and allowing pear slices to overlap slightly; set aside.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat granulated sugar and remaining ½ cup butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and continue beating until combined, about 1 minute. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture alternately with milk in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until batter is smooth. Spoon batter on top of pear slices, gently smoothing surface with a rubber spatula. Place cake on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake cake in preheated oven until top is golden brown, edges begin to pull away from sides of cake pan, and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Carefully run a small offset spatula or paring knife around edge of cake to release from sides of pan. Place a large plate or cake stand upside down on top of cake pan, and quickly invert. Remove cake from pan; carefully peel away parchment paper, and discard. Slice cake and serve warm, or allow cake to cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour, before slicing and serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.
• Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
• Bake 42 to 48 minutes (44 to 53 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.