Skillet Salted Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake with Cinnamon

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Salted caramel pear upside down cake is a buttermilk butter cake baked over caramelized pears in a single 25 cm / 10-inch oven-safe skillet, then flipped onto a plate so the fruit ends up on top. The topping is glossy, the crumb is tender, and the salt keeps the sweetness in check.

I make the caramel right in the skillet from butter, brown sugar, and a splash of cream, so there’s no second pot to wash. It comes together in about 25 minutes of hands-on work, and the oven handles the rest.

Use firm pears. Bosc or Anjou hold their shape through the bake and leave slices with distinct edges instead of jam.

Timing the flip is the one judgment call. Rest the cake in the skillet for 10 minutes, no longer, or the caramel sets and the pears stay behind.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Caramel, pears, and cake all come together in one skillet
• Hands-on work takes about 25 minutes, then the oven takes over
• Buttermilk crumb stays tender and soaks up the salted caramel
• Keeps 3 to 4 days and reheats well, so it suits make-ahead

Ingredient Notes

• Firm pears: Bosc or Anjou are my pick because they stay intact for the full bake. Firm apples such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work as a swap, with the same wedge size and timing.
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have it, stir 2 tsp lemon juice into 120 ml whole milk and let it stand 5 minutes. Plain yogurt thinned with a splash of milk also works.
• Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar gives a deeper, more molasses-forward caramel. Packed granulated sugar works but tastes flatter.
• Flaky sea salt: Use 1/4 tsp fine salt if you only have table salt, since fine crystals taste saltier by volume. Everything here keeps it vegetarian.
• Heavy cream: Full-fat coconut milk is a one-to-one swap in the caramel and adds a faint coconut note. Whole milk makes a thinner, less glossy topping.

Skillet Salted Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake with Cinnamon

A buttermilk butter cake baked over brown sugar caramel and firm pears in a 25 cm / 10-inch skillet, flipped after a 10-minute rest. Serves 8 with about 25 minutes of hands-on work.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 426

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Salted caramel pear topping

• 60 g unsalted butter
• 150 g light brown sugar packed
• 2 tbsp heavy cream (30 ml)
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
• 3 firm pears (Bosc or Anjou) medium (about 600 g); peeled, cored, cut into 1 cm / 1/2-inch wedges

Buttermilk cake batter

• 190 g all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 115 g unsalted butter softened
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120 ml buttermilk room temperature

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 175 C / 350 F with a rack in the center and a sheet pan 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch on the rack below. Peel, core, and cut the pears into 1 cm / 1/2-inch wedges. Whisk the flour, baking powder, fine salt, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
2. Melt 60 g butter in a 25 cm / 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the mixture bubbles steadily and looks glossy. Stir in the cream, then take the skillet off the heat and sprinkle the flaky salt over the surface.
3. Arrange the pear wedges in the caramel in tight, overlapping circles, working from the outer edge to the center. Pack them snugly because they shrink as they bake.
4. Beat 115 g softened butter and the granulated sugar in the second bowl with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and starting and ending with flour, until just combined.
5. Dollop the batter over the pears and spread it to the edge with an offset spatula, nudging gently so the fruit doesn't shift. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
6. Set the skillet on a rack and cool for 10 minutes, no longer, so the caramel stays fluid. Run a thin knife around the edge, set a 30 cm / 12-inch plate over the skillet, and flip in one motion while wearing oven mitts. Lift the skillet away, tuck back any stray wedges, and let the cake stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

• Use an oven-safe skillet only, and check that the handle has no plastic or silicone grip.
• Rest the cake in the skillet for 10 minutes before flipping, not longer.
• Pack the pears snugly, since the batter spreads over them and they soften as it bakes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature on the day you bake it for the best texture.

Tips for Success

• Pack the pear wedges tightly in overlapping circles, since they shrink as they bake and gaps show once the cake is flipped.
• Bring the eggs and buttermilk to room temperature, about 30 minutes on the counter, so the butter batter stays smooth instead of curdling.
• Set a sheet pan on the rack below the skillet to catch any caramel that bubbles over the rim.
• Check the cake at 40 minutes with a toothpick in the center, and keep baking in 2-minute increments if it comes out wet.
• Wear oven mitts on both hands when you flip, and do it in one confident motion with the plate held firmly against the skillet.

Variations

• Swap the cinnamon for 1/2 tsp ground cardamom and 1/4 tsp ground ginger for a spicier, more fragrant crumb.
• Scatter 50 g toasted pecans or walnuts over the caramel before arranging the pears for a crunchy top layer.
• Stir 1 tbsp bourbon into the caramel along with the cream for a warmer, slightly smoky edge.

Storage and Reheating

Cover and store the cake at room temperature the day you bake it, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat slices on a baking tray at 150 C / 300 F for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave a single slice for 15 to 20 seconds. The oven keeps the edges of the crumb from turning gummy.

To freeze, wrap cooled slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat the same way. For make-ahead, bake the cake a day early and warm the slices before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the cake warm in wedges with a spoonful of lightly whipped cream or crème fraîche. The tang balances the caramel.

For a dinner party, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and spoon any caramel left in the skillet over each plate. Black coffee, spiced black tea, or a small glass of off-dry Riesling all handle the sweetness well.

Slice at the table with a thin knife wiped clean between cuts, which keeps the pears intact.

FAQ

Why are the pears sticking to the skillet when I flip my pear upside down cake?

The caramel set as the skillet cooled, gluing the pears to the metal. Flip the cake after 10 minutes of cooling, while the caramel is still fluid. If a few wedges stay behind, warm the skillet over low heat for 30 seconds, lift them out with a spatula, and press them back onto the cake.

Can I use Bartlett pears instead of Bosc in this upside down cake?

Yes, but only if the pears are still firm. Yellow-green Bartlett pears that give slightly near the stem work, while fully soft ones release juice and thin the caramel into a syrup. Bosc and Anjou are safer because they hold their shape through the full 40 to 45 minutes of baking.

Can I freeze salted caramel pear upside down cake?

Yes, wrap cooled slices individually in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on a baking tray at 150 C / 300 F for 8 to 10 minutes so the caramel loosens and the edges of the crumb warm through.

What goes well with salted caramel pear upside down cake?

Lightly whipped cream with no added sugar or crème fraîche works best, because the tang cuts through the caramel. Vanilla ice cream melts nicely into the warm pears if you want something richer. For a drink, serve it with black coffee or a spiced black tea, both of which handle the sweetness well.

Is pear upside down cake gluten free or dairy free?

Not as written, since it uses all-purpose flour, butter, cream, and buttermilk. For gluten free, swap in a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. For dairy free, use plant butter sticks, full-fat coconut milk in the caramel, and oat milk soured with 2 tsp lemon juice for the buttermilk.

What is the difference between a pear upside down cake and a tarte Tatin?

A tarte Tatin is a French pastry with fruit cooked in caramel and topped with a crust, while a pear upside down cake bakes fruit under a butter cake batter. The cake is softer, easier to slice, and needs no pastry work. Both get flipped before serving, so the same caramel timing applies.