• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Simply delicious oil-free vegan recipes

  • Recipe Index
    • Recipes by Category
    • Recipes by Tag
    • Recipe Box
  • About Me
    • Press
  • NewsBites
  • Shop!
  • Website

Pear Spice Upside-Down Cake

December 19, 2015 By Susan Voisin 71 Comments
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy.

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Share on Facebook

Moist, full of spices and the sweetness of maple syrup, this pear upside-down cake is too delicious to be fat-free and vegan—but it is!
Pear Spice Upside-Down Cake: Vegan and Almost Fat-Free #wfpb #wfpbno

I fell in love with the looks of a Pear and Almond Upside Down Cake that someone shared in one of the groups I belong to on Facebook. I loved the pattern the pears made on the top of the cake, so I decided to try to make my own version with a design somewhat in the shape of a Christmas tree…or the leaf design on a cup of soy latte.

I was a little ambivalent about the look I wanted, and I was unaware that pears are not the most accommodating art medium–they tend to move around and shrink when baked. So while my cake didn’t look exactly how I’d dreamed, all in all, I was pretty happy with its appearance. Now as for the flavor…

Pear Spice Upside-Down Cake: Vegan and Almost Fat-Free #wfpbno #wfpb

It was fantastic! Instead of using almonds, I decided to revamp one of my apple spice cakes to use pears. And I also ditched the refined sugar and used maple syrup instead (well, I had to supplement it with a little agave nectar because I ran out of syrup.)

My husband, who doesn’t like pears, loved it. It’s incredibly moist and has just the right touch of spiciness. Pears are a little grittier than apples, so there’s a slight hint of crunch to the texture, but I think it adds something, makes it seem almost sugary.

Pear Spice Upside-Down Cake: Vegan and Almost Fat-Free #vegan #wfpb #fok #wfpbno

Between the two of us, we ate half the cake in one night, but we’re saving the rest for E, who gets home from college late tonight. So be careful: This fat-free, refined sugar-free, whole wheat upside-down cake may entice you to eat much more than you intended. Be sure to set aside a slice for someone you love.

More Vegan Holiday Desserts

For more sweet treats, be sure to check out 12 of my favorite holiday dessert recipes, including cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, and more.

Pear Spice Upside Down Cake
5 from 12 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Add to Recipe BoxGo to Recipe Box

Pear Spice Upside-Down Cake

Nut Free
Soy Free
Sugar Free
You will not believe that this richly spiced cake has no oil or nuts and is sweetened only with maple syrup. Since good maple syrup is expensive, feel free to replace part of it with agave nectar or your favorite liquid sweetener.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8
Author Susan Voisin

Ingredients

Dry:

  • 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Pears:

  • 3 large pears I used Bosc
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • applesauce if necessary

Liquid:

  • 3/4 cup maple syrup or combination of agave and maple syrup divided
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round non-stick baking pan with parchment paper cut to fit.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir well. Set aside.
  • Peel the pears. Cut one of them into thin slices about 1/4-inch thick (avoiding the core). Chop the other two into large chunks (again, no core).
  • Arrange the sliced pear in the prepared pan in any design you wish. Don't worry about using all the slices--just as many as will fit or fit your idea of the design. Pour 1/4 cup of the maple syrup over the pears. Reserve the rest.
  • Put the extra slices and the pear chunks into the blender with 2 tablespoons water. Blend, stopping if necessary to push down any stray pears, until it's about the consistency of applesauce.
  • Measure out 1 2/3 cups of the pear sauce. Reserve any extra for another use (it's good on a fruit salad or in a smoothie). If there's not enough, add applesauce until you have 1 2/3 cups.
  • Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the 1 2/3 cups of pear sauce. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of maple syrup and the other liquid ingredients. Stir until combined but don't over-stir. Carefully spoon the batter over the pears so that you don't move them and change the design.
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes, testing by inserting a toothpick in the middle. It's ready when the toothpick comes out clean.
  • Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen any stuck on parts of the cake. Place a serving dish over it and invert. Tap lightly to dislodge the cake from the pan. Loosen all the edges of the parchment paper and then slowly peel it back, using a knife or your fingers to push back into place any pieces of pear that want to stick to it. If there is glaze left on the paper, scrape it off with a knife and smooth it onto the cake.
    Peeling back the parchment
  • Allow to cool. Cut into 8 slices and enjoy!

Notes

Note that the maple syrup is divided--1/4 cup is poured over the pears but the rest is mixed into the batter.
Nutrition Facts
Pear Spice Upside-Down Cake
Amount Per Serving (1 Slice)
Calories 167
% Daily Value*
Fat 0g0%
Sodium 312mg14%
Carbohydrates 39g13%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 3g6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional info is approximate.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Vegan
Keyword pear cake, vegan upside down cake
Have you made this recipe?Mention @SusanFFVK and tag #fatfreevegankitchen in your photos on Instagram.
Share on Facebook Pin This Recipe Share by Email
Please pin and share!
Pear Spice Upside-Down Cake: Moist, full of spices, and with the sweetness of maple syrup, no one will believe that this pear upside-down cake is fat-free and #vegan #wfpbno #wfpb #fok

Happy holidays to you all!

Susan

Filed Under: Desserts, Recipes Tagged With: Cakes, Holidays, Nut-Free, Soy-free, Sugar-free, Thanksgiving Recipes, Under 200

Get NewsBites!

Sign up for our newsletter to receive new recipes & tips by email!

Privacy Policy
Previous Post: « 911 Vegan Gravy
Next Post: Vegan Scalloped Potatoes with Chickpea Cheese Sauce »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sandi

    December 15, 2017 at 10:32 pm

    Hi Susan, just wanted to say that I am enjoying your recipes especially the pumpkin spiced bread. Made it 3 times now and gave the recipe to my daughter who has a little girl with allergies. Thanks for all your sharing. And I will be making the pear cake over Christmas. Sandi.

    Reply
  2. Colleen

    December 30, 2018 at 10:58 am

    This might be my new favorite cake! I made it as a last-minute dessert last night, and we finished it for breakfast this morning. It’s not too sweet, and it was totally forgiving of me not having as much maple syrup as I thought I had. (I dissolved some brown sugar in water to make up the difference, and it was totally fine.) The spiciness is really nice and perfect for winter, and the slight crunch of the pears adds a pleasant bit of texture. It’s wonderfully moist, with a deliciously sticky top. It turns out pears shrink a LOT when cooked, so I may pack more on the bottom/top next time, I’ve made many of your recipes over the years, Susan (although I only made the complete switch to vegan a few months ago), and I haven’t been disappointed yet. This is another excellent recipe, thank you!

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      December 30, 2018 at 7:41 pm

      Thank you for such a detailed review! I’m so happy you liked it!

      Reply
  3. Ryland

    November 27, 2019 at 2:16 pm

    Cake turned out phenomenal! Doesn’t take very long, whole-foods based, and spiced perfectly! Very pleased

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      November 27, 2019 at 3:47 pm

      I’m so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  4. Ellis

    December 27, 2019 at 11:52 pm

    This turned out very well. I used spelt flour because I didn’t have whole wheat and arrowroot for the cornstarch. I also used an 8 inch cake pan because I don’t have a 9 inch. I also used a light maple syrup because I think that the darker maple syrup tends to overpower baked goods. I was surprised that the cake rose so high, and that it didn’t collapse once I took it out of the oven! In fact, it pulled away nicely from the pan as it cooled. And best of all, the cake isn’t dry or gummy as other vegan baked goods can be. Perfect!

    Reply
  5. Joan

    February 14, 2020 at 9:47 pm

    This looks great! Wondering if cut up dates could bd used to bd able to decrease the maple syrup? I don’t like to use that much syrup.

    Reply
  6. Jeananne

    March 24, 2020 at 2:54 pm

    thank you!
    I found this recipe awhile ago & finally made it today. Delicious.
    I’ve shared the love on FB on my page and in a couple groups. <3

    Reply
  7. Nuwan

    May 28, 2020 at 1:28 am

    I made it and cake came out nice. But i did a blunder using more cloves because i didn’t have nutmeg and its too spicy..cake is good if i haven’t done the blunder
    Thanks very much

    Reply
  8. Laura

    June 24, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    Can you use AP flour??

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      June 24, 2020 at 11:15 pm

      Yes, but you may need just a little less liquid.

      Reply
  9. AK

    October 14, 2020 at 11:39 pm

    I have switched to low fat no added oil vegan diet and have had trouble finding good dessert recipes besides blended frozen banana and cacao powder :). This was really good and loved the idea of blending the pear to use as the “oil” Thank you!

    Reply
  10. Sarah

    November 8, 2020 at 10:07 pm

    SOOOOO good! Hubby loved it, I added crushed walnuts (lot of them haha). Thank you! Will be taking this to parties!

    Reply
  11. Kim

    January 6, 2021 at 6:39 pm

    perfection, Susan! I loved it!

    Reply
  12. Ann Schutt

    February 28, 2021 at 5:57 am

    Delicious! I was distracted and forgot to include the lemon juice and vanilla. So it will be even more delicious next time! This is definitely a dessert/coffee cake to share with guests.

    Reply
  13. Betsy

    July 8, 2021 at 2:44 pm

    Oooo love it!

    What is the fat content per serving?

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      July 8, 2021 at 6:11 pm

      Less than a half gram of fat per serving.

      Reply
  14. Paula Heitman

    August 14, 2021 at 2:02 pm

    We love this cake especially the no oil option, I have a friend visiting that can’t have potassium – could I switch out the pears for apples?????

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      August 14, 2021 at 5:01 pm

      Yes, apple is a great substitute. Enjoy!

      Reply
  15. Elaine

    March 23, 2022 at 1:00 pm

    I made this with mangoes!! Left out some of the spices. So good. Thank you Susan.

    Reply
  16. H.S.

    July 31, 2022 at 8:57 pm

    Just made this recipe… I was a little anxious because I had to make a few substitutions (omitted nutmeg and cloves as I don’t have any, and also had to use plums for instead of apples or pears for purée as I realized last minute I didn’t have many pears. All this to say that the recipe is very versatile and takes well to changes. This definitely goes into my holiday menu rotation. Thank you for creating excellent healthy recipes.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to My Kitchen!

Susan VoisinI'm Susan Voisin, and I love creating delicious whole foods plant-based dishes with no added oil. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Find It Fast

  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Ridiculously Easy Recipes
  • Weight Watchers Recipes
  • Recipes by Tag (ingredient, gluten-free, etc.)
  • Complete Recipe Index

Find a Recipe

Allergens

All of my recipes are vegan, dairy-free, and fish free. To find recipes free of other allergens, click on an icon below.

Gluten FreeNut FreeSugar FreeSoy Free

Footer

Fall Favorites

Pasta Fagioli with Cranberry Beans and Kale

Pasta Fagioli with Cranberry Beans and Kale

Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Spaghetti Squash Pesto Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash Pesto Lasagna

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin from FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin

See More Fall Favorites

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Photos, original recipes, and text © Susan Voisin. All rights reserved. Do not republish content without permission.

Nutritional information is approximate and is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate. This site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers™️ and cannot guarantee accuracy of Points™️.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright © 2023 · Susan Voisin · Privacy Policy· Log in