Pear & ginger upside down cake
PREP 15 MINS COOK 30 MINS SERVES 12 (AS A DESSERT, OCCASIONAL IF SERVED WITH CUSTARD)
2 medium just ripe pears, unpeeled
2 tsp brown sugar or granulated sugar substitute
Pinch ground ginger
2 tbsp low-fat custard, per person, to serve
CAKE BATTER
80g light margarine, at room temperature
80g (½ cup, lightly packed) brown sugar or granulated sugar substitute
1 tsp ground ginger
115g (¾ cup) wholemeal selfraising flour
75g (½ cup) self-raising flour
2 x 60g eggs, separated
2 medium very ripe pears, peeled, quartered, core removed, mashed until smooth
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (fanforced). Spray a 20cm (base measurement) round cake tin with cooking spray. Line the base and side with baking paper. Quarter and core the pears. Thinly slice the pears and arrange over the base of the tin. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and ginger.
2 To make the cake batter, using a wooden spoon beat the margarine, sugar and ginger until well combined. Add the flours, egg yolks and pear. Mix until well combined. Using electric beaters, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add to the cake batter and mix until combined.
3 Spoon the cake batter carefully over the sliced pears and smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning out onto a serving plate. Serve warm.
Nutritional info
PER SERVE (cake only) 653kJ (156Cal), protein 3g, total fat 4g (sat. fat 2g), carbs 24g, fibre 3g, sodium 151mg • Carb exchanges 1½ • GI estimate high
PER SERVE (with custard) 788kJ (189Cal), protein 5g, total fat 4g (sat. fat 2g), carbs 30g, fibre 4g, sodium 184mg • Carb exchanges 2• GI estimate high
PER SERVE (cake only with sugar substitute) 569kJ (136Cal), protein 3g, total fat 4g (sat. fat 2g), carbs 19g, fibre 3g, sodium 151mg
• Carb exchanges 1½ • GI estimate high
PER SERVE (with custard and sugar substitute) 704kJ (168Cal), protein 5g, total fat 4g (sat. fat 2g), carbs 24g, fibre 4g, sodium 183mg
• Carb exchanges 1½
• GI estimate high