Diana Henry’s pecan and pear upside-down cake recipe

“The cranberries look beautifully jewel-like on this cake, which can be eaten warm as a pudding as well as with tea or coffee,” says food writer Diana Henry.

“The fruit combination also works well in a Tarte Tatin. The ginger here is optional, but it mutes the sweetness a little.”

Pecan and pear upside-down cake

Ingredients:

(Serves 10)

For the fruit and nuts:

75g unsalted butter

115g caster sugar

350g firm pears (about 2)

140g cranberries

75g pecans

For the cake:

120g unsalted butter, softened

200g caster sugar

2 large eggs, separated

Drop of vanilla extract

210g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp ground ginger (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan (375F), Gas 5.

2. Melt the butter and sugar for the fruit and nuts in a heavy-based ovenproof saute pan, 25cms in diameter, over a low heat. Peel and core the pears and cut them into slices, about 1cm thick, then place them on top of the butter and sugar. Cook these over a gentle heat until just tender, then whack the heat up and cook them until lightly caramelised. Scatter the cranberries and pecans on top and gently mix all the fruit around. Turn the heat off, but don’t let the pan get cold.

3. For the cake, cream the butter and sugar and add the egg yolks and vanilla. Mix in half the flour along with all the baking powder and ginger, if using. Add the milk and then the other half of the flour. Mix until smooth.

4. Whisk the egg whites until they form medium peaks. Add one tablespoon of the beaten whites to the batter to loosen it, then, working quickly, fold in the rest with a large spoon.

5. Spread the batter over the fruit and nuts in the pan and bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean.

Roast Figs, Sugar Snow by Diana Henry is published by Aster, priced £22. Photography by Jason Lowe. Available now.