Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread Cake

• 3 firm pears, peeled and cored and cut into 8 wedges (cut EACH pear into 8 wedges, you should have 24 wedges in all)
• 14 cup butter
• 34 cup light brown sugar
• 2 12 cups flour
• 1 12 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 12 teaspoon clove
• 14 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup molasses (use a light coloured molasses)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 12 cup butter, softened
• 12 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Melt butter in a skillet (the same sillet you will be making the cake in) over medium heat; reduce to low, then sprinkle brown sugar over the bottom of the skillet and cook WITHOUT stirring for 3 minutes (not all of the sugar will be melted).
2. Then arrange the pear slices decoratively over the sugar and cook without touching for 2 minutes; remove from heat.
3. To make the cake: set oven to 350 degrees, and set oven rack to middle position.
4. Mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in a bowl.
5. Whisk together molasses and boiling water in a small bowll.
6. Beat together butter, brown sugar and egg in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes).
7. Alternatley mix in flour mixture and molasses on low speed.
8. Pour the batter over the pear topping in the skillet, spreading evenly (be careful not to disturb pears).
9. Bake for about 40-50 minutes.
10. Cool cake in skillet on a rack for 5 minutes.
11. Run a thin knife around edge of skillet then invert a large plate with a "lip" over the skillet and press tightly together.
12. Invert cake onto plate.
13. Replace any pears that stick to skillet.
14. Serve warm or room temperature.

firm pears, butter, light brown sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger powder, clove, salt, molasses, boiling water, butter, light brown sugar, egg

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/upside-down-pear-gingerbread-cake-140273 (may not work)