Like stilettos hobbling on the cobblestone in Paris, baking of the vegan variety can be just as treacherous to navigate.
In my dream world, I would own a cookbook like this:
In reality, vegan baking often requires throwing caution to the wind, a healthy dose of trial and error, and a will to succeed.
(And let’s be real, a few choice words at times…)
I’ve had pancake flops galore.

Blueberry muffin ‘bricks’.

And clumpy custard.
Just to name a few!
But then that moment occurs when time stops and every failed recipe is forgotten.

Not even Brownies with a bad hair day could take this moment away from you.
You smile.
You cackle with delight.
And you tuck this day away in your memory for you never know what tomorrow’s baking adventures will bring.

Sometimes in life, we need to turn things upside down to make them right side up.
Gingerbread Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
What do you get when you combine Thanksgiving dinner, your mother-in-law’s birthday, and your Aunt’s birthday all into one weekend? One spectacular occasion with loved ones and a couple of Fall-inspired celebration cakes!
For the full recipe in PDF format, click here.
First things first, preheat oven to 325F, take a deep breath, and visualize success. You are half way there already!


Grease cake pan(s). You can use one 10-inch cake pan or a combination of smaller sizes. I used a 6, 5, and 4-inch pan for a 3-tier cake.
Gather up the troops!
Peel.




Now cut 1/4 inch slices.

Set aside and prepare to make cascading caramel ribbons!
In a sauce pan, combine 1/2 cup of brown rice syrup and 6 tablespoons of Earth Balance butter. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and then reduce heat to low. Add in 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter, and 2 teaspoons of fleur de sel. Stir well.

The caramel will start to develop nicely and thicken up after a few minutes.

Relieve any residual stress by making figure eights.
Stir over low heat. After a few minutes, you will have a delicious, cascading ribbon of caramel.

Pinch yourself.
But wait, there is more work to be done before vegan baking victory is yours!
Remove the caramel from heat and pour into the cake pan(s). You only have a window of about 20-30 seconds before the caramel starts to harden, so move quickly!

Just not too quickly or you might drop the pan in the process…

But then again you probably aren’t dangling a huge camera from your neck so you should be safe. ;)
Next, layer the pear slices on top of the caramel (I think I was on my 3rd vegan caramel attempt at this point).

Set aside your cake pans and grab a mixer or some old-fashioned elbow grease. Gather the following ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup Earth Balance, 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1 cup almond milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel, 1 tsp ground ginger, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon.


Whip the sugar and Earth Balance until fluffy.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (molasses, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla).

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients.
Now take your wet mixture and add a bit to the fluffy sugar mixture. Mix on low to medium speed.

Add a bit of the flour and mix for another 10 seconds or so.

Alternate the wet and dry ingredients until heavenly gingerbread cake batter is achieved.

(Feel free to lick the screen if it makes you feel better. I won’t tell.)
Distribute the cake batter into the cake pan(s).




I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to have lots of fun here!

Spread with a spatula until smooth as silk.

Now for the fun part…

I’m sure you can find a way to ‘clean’ the bowl. ;)
Bake for about 35-45 minutes depending on the size of your pan(s). Full baking instructions here.
Grab a plate or cake stand and place on top of the pan.

Flip over and hope for the best. Gently tap the top of the pan and carefully remove the lid.

As I said, sometimes things must be upside down to become right side up. Words to live by, I say.
Stack tiers (if necessary).

Sift confectioner’s sugar over top.

A vegan, Fall-inspired celebration cake that is easy on the eyes and delicious too.
But, perhaps gingerbread just isn’t your thing.…
(I won’t mention any names.)
If apples, spices, and caramel are more your thing, just take the above recipe and make 3 easy swaps:
- Swap apples for the pears
- Swap maple syrup for the molasses
- Swap cinnamon for the ginger
This is what I’d like to call a 2 for 1 cake. Who doesn’t love a good baking bargain?
For this Spiced Apple Upside Down Cake, I used three 7-inch cake pans, but you can use one 10-inch pan.
Flip & Stack.
If you are feeling truly crazy and adventurous make yourself another batch of caramel and go to town.


This may be illegal in some countries.



Please don’t ask me to choose. I just couldn’t.
And when you see your mother-in-law light up with her beautiful smile, you will say it was worth every second.

Cheers to our loved ones near and far and to delicious food and drink!

Note: This is my official entry for Project Food Blog Challenge #4. Voting begins at 9am EST on Monday October 11th. If you enjoyed this post I would greatly appreciate your votes in carrying me into the next round! Click here to vote. Thank you!
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{ 154 comments… read them below or add one }
Absolutely amazing!!! I hope you win!
Oh. My. Days.
You are so creative in the kitchen!! If I subbed the ginger for cinnamon, that is one INCREDIBLE recipe (or 2!)! If you don’t get through to the next stage, no-one deserves to! Love it :)
Absolutely amazing!! You are definitely going to win!
That has to be the most beautiful step-by-step I’ve ever read….ah-mazing! Good luck!!
Angela, this is amazing!!!!! I love your step-by-step directions!!! I am in awe of the vegan caramel… YUM!
OMG!!!!! This looks so yummy and your directions are fabulous!!!
Damn, if I wasn’t at college I WOULD be licking the screen!
I so wanted to lick the screen!! I am making a note to try this ASAP, you are so awesome and creative!
You have such amazing creativity and talent in the kitchen and with your camera! Do you just make these recipes from a whim, or do you have like… a “cake template” and a “cookie template” that you kind of work with and then just adjust things? I’d really like to bake more but I haven’t done a lot so I was just kind of wondering how to start haha.
And the picture of the figure-8 is phenomenal! It’s really well-shot and it reminds me of a fancy 8 like you’d see on an old grandfather clock.
Nice job, again, you’ve got my vote. ;)
Thanks! :) I don’t have a template, but I often adapt my previous recipes or others that I am inspired by.
oh my! you have outdone yourself, but i say that every time! you are truly doing what you are meant to be doing. amazing! xo
Beautiful and simple extravagance on every level. Photos. Writing. Recipe. Family.
Your cakes are beautiful, Angela! You have my vote, as always!! Enjoy time with your family!! :D
You’ve done it again!! Simply amazing. Love the stacked tiers. Gorgeous! Can’t wait to meet Enyor Dreemz in a few weeks!! ;)
You are amazinggggg!
Angela this is so beautiful! I want caramel. NOW.
And I love that Eric and his mom have the same smile :)
OMG that’s gorgeous! Who takes the pictures? I know you do a lot of them yourself, but how did you get the ones of the pouring batter and flour? How many arms do you have!? Next picture of you should feature a superwoman costume!
I have to make that, as soon as I can maneuver better on my poor broken foot!
haha thanks :) I just learned how use a tripod and the camera timer!
Just beautiful! As a veteran blogger to a newbie, do you recommend getting a good camera and tripod right away? Or should I just play with what I have. Looks like you’ve gotta be pretty swift and dexterous. I think I’m drooling over here. Those cakes look great!
On another note, what is the vanilla bean paste you speak of? The only ones I’ve seen have more sugar than vanilla it seems. I often use extract, or just a piece of the bean if I’m throwing it in the vitamix for a smoothie, but that wouldn’t work for a cake.
That’s a really great photo of your MIL – you can definitely see Eric in her!! :) It looks like you had a warm (and yummy!) Thanksgiving. Fun! :)
I think i’m in love…. that looks AMAZING!!!!
Ha! I love that first photo and the would-be title of the book. You’re cute. Your recipe/entry is phenomenal! You have had my vote throughout the whole challenge, I really am rooting for you! This was awesome.
illegal indeed… these look perfectly delicious.
Love the cook book by Enyor Dreemz!! hehe
I just drooled all over my computer…………..no seriously!!
Wow! I am just so impressed with your recipes lately. Especially the Project Food Blog Challenge entries! These cakes look out of this world.
To die for! I think you are inspiring me to be a baker. Don’t worry, all the credit will go back to you!
OMG, it was awesome! I will be making the apple one!
Gorgeous and ridiculously decadent and delicious-looking. If only your treats were not so far away!! Good luck!!
You are so talented! I am drooling over that caramel right now. YUM!
Great recipe, the photos and the end result look scrumptious.
Ha, I love the picture of you with the makeshift vegan cookbook. Maybe “Enyor Dreams” really wants you to make one instead?
How do you do it? Everytime I come to your site I’m just enamored with what you’ve made. This looks like yet another winner. Drool.
PS- making the black bean soup pumpkins for my family tonight!!
These photos are absolutely gorgeous Ange!
Healthifying a recipe’s always tricky- I couldn’t imagine veganizing them all, too!! But somehow you pull it off- even your flops look good! :P
Great photos and fun post! I want some :)
Running to make this right now!
Wow…
that’s all I can say.
Simply amazing! I love reading your awesome, inspiring posts!
<3 Emme
Wow. That looks so delicious. Beautiful pictures as well. You’re so talented!
Thank you for including the recipe in PDF – so helpful! This looks truly delicious!
Perfection!
This is the sweetest recipe narrative I’ve ever read! I may volunteer to make Thanksgiving dessert just so I can try this out.
Does Mr. Dreemz write any other useful books? Like perhaps one entitled “How to Keep your 1971 MGB Convertible Running Worry Free for the Rest of Your Life”?
yes I believe I saw that copy in the bookstore. Shall I hold one for you? ;)
As always, I adore all your photography so getting to see more of it just makes me smile. The recipe sounds phenomenal as well.
And I would like to place an order for that cookbook, please. ;)
My goodness! Such gorgeous photos!
oh my goodness. this post is so beautiful! and those cakes look so delicious! good luck to you in the project food blog contest – you definitely have a vote from me. :)
Hands down the best recipe post I’ve ever seen. EVER!
Beautiful! LOVE the step by step;)
You have this competition on the bag
Wow! You outdo yourself everyday! You go girl! You have my vote, as always!
:)
Ohh I cant wait to try this recipe!!!!!!
I made your pupkin gingerbread cake with the buttercream forsting for my family’s thankgiving dinner, Let me tell you it was a success!!! Not everyone tried it and there are lots of leftovers (score!!!!!) but the ones who did loved it, I even got asked for the recipe!!!
Thanks so much!!!!
So glad to hear this!
Amazing again. I’m at a loss for words.
Wow! That cake looks amazing :) And it’s really refreshing to see someone actually like their mother-in-law! I’ll definitely be voting for you.
Please, please PLEASE make a Martha Stewart Living type magazine one day for vegans. Holy cow, that would be glorious.
Beautiful, wonderful, creative, and delicious looking.. impressed as always!! You’ve done an amazing job!! Here’s to seeing us both in the final 3!
You’ve got what it takes to win, Angela. Beautiful photos, excellent step-by-step directions, with a dose of your fun sense of humor through and through.
I knew I could count on you to nail this one!!! Great job Angela!!! You’re going to go far in this contest!!! :)
How far you’ve come, from the days were you were miserable and unhappy at your job. I still remember the day you quit. I’m proud of how far you’ve come.
Aww thank you, that means a lot to me!
What a great recipe. I LOVE pears so this one is perfect for me. I love the beautiful design on top, and oh that carmel.
Thanks everyone!! I really appreciate your support.
Oh my gosh, Angela, this looks sensational! I would buy your cookbook just for this recipe.
Oh my gosh, Ange, I think you might have out done yourself with this one! What inspired cakes! What beautiful photography! I love that you were able to use the beautiful fall leaves and a nice, crisp green placemat. I love the look of the different tiers on the pear gingerbread cake! Sounds amazing!
Omg this is QUITE the amazing post!
Love the book and photoshopped title, in your dreams LOL
And the recipes..omg
I will pick apple for traditionalism but pear + molasses for total sophisticated adventure in foodie creations! WOW!
Ok I love caramel. I love it. Honestly I would eat a little dessert/cake WITH my caramel. I mean, it’s where it’s at for me :) And yours…swoon drool devour it.
And you are only 1/4 c away from making all of this GF too! I would make it with a GF flour or oat/almond/rice flour and not only did you veganize it, you are easily able to GF it! I may just do that :)
Oh and nothing worse than stopping every 3 seconds to wipe your hands, get your camera, take 7 pics in case 6 dont turn out, and then add one more ingredient..and repeat w/ camera. I can feel the WORK that went into these recipes and post!!!
Bravo!
Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!
And the commentary is fabulous. This is added to “the list”!
Angela, this is fantastic! You have to win with a post like . You were born for this!
and by “post like” I mean “post like this” lol
Beautiful!
I think you chose the perfect recipe to showcase!
absolutely STUNNING! This is what you live for and it shows! Such passion, such flavor, such love!
Everything looks incredible, from the ingredients and dirty dishes to the finished product. I’m drooling as much over your stunning photos as the amazing-looking dessert.
You are amazing. I will be shocked if this is not the reader’s choice winner for this round.
Oh my gosh! This has to be reader’s choice!!! I have never been successful with making caramel, I’ll have to give it another try with those ingredients.
Wow this an absolutely fabulous looking cake- I really wish I could attend events with you where you cook for me haha.
I think a little part of me died inside.
Wow Angela. I think it is yours. :) Your photography is outstanding too.!
Delicious isn’t really a big enough word for what I think of this :) I was just thinking about how to make a good vegan caramel the other day. This sounds delicious!!!
Your photography is AMAZING! Love all your pics.
Oh my……licking the screen? You totally read my mind ;) That looks amazing!!
These look absolutely delicious. So gorgeous, definitely inspired!
What beautiful cakes! You make vegan baking look very very good. :)
What an adorable cake! And perfect for autumn :-) Well done.
I made an apple upside cake this weekend…so amazing, right? I bet pear would be so good too!
Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly bookmark another recipe from your blog, I was proved wrong again.
Angela, your blog is a work of art…I truly feel like I am with you in your kitchen (in the least creepy way possible!!). You prove that vegan cooking ROCKS. I LOVE what you do! Thanks for doing it!!
just know that the amount of time and energy you devoted to making your recipe and photographing it, then text composing and finally BLOGGING all of the above is SO WORTH IT! you can be proud of both your creativity and the content of your entry – absolutely wonderful. please give yourself a pat on the back!!! :)
I considered licking the screen :p.
This cake looks amazing. Your caramel looks absolutely delicious (coming from a caramel addict ;))
Ummm…seriously considered licking the screen. haha That gingerbread batter just looks heavenlyyyy! Both of the cakes sound spectacular!!
I am in complete awe of your creativity! I love the step by step directions, little sayings here and there, and all of the delicious dishes you create. :-)
I wish I had that cookbook too, that would make life so much easier. Thanks for this post, your recipe looks delicious.
Those cakes look DELICIOUS! The next time I make a dessert I am definitely making the apple/maple version. Happy Thanksgiving!
Ang, you impress me EVERY post!!!!!!!!!! Loved the first photo.. I sounded the author’s name out loud and my mom was like what are you talkin about?? hahah
GREAT entry!! Really hope you win the final prize .. you deserve it!
This…looks…AMAZING! I’m drooling over every picture (especially those of the cascading caramel).
I totally understand how hard it is to change around recipes. I wish I had that cookbook for gluten free cooking. That picture of you with the cookbook turned me into a giggle monster for a while. Haha!
I must echo the sentiments of everyone else – this is one amazing post. From the photography to the recipe to your engaging writing – I love it! You truly are so talented:) I especially love the picture of your MIL at the end. It looks like it could be out of a magazine! You’ve got my vote. I can’t imagine how your post could not be the best one out there, and I’m going to be very surprised if you don’t end up winning the whole thing!
Could you tell me what kind of lens/lenses you mainly use? I have just been using the 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 lens that came with my Canon, but am on the verge of ordering a new one. I’m leaning toward a 50mm f/1.4, but have also considered a 60mm macro. The options are so overwhelming! Anyway,I searched your blog thinking you’ve probably been asked this before, but I couldn’t find it!
aww thanks hun!
I have a Macro lens that I use for food photography. It is a 50mm 1.4 canon.
Thanks, girl! That’s exactly what I’ve been looking at – your pictures are all the confirmation I need. Finally ordered it last night – so excited!
This is one of the most gorgeous posts you have ever done. I hope you win!
All I can say is you go girl.. that is AMAZING!
Yum, yum, yum!! ‘Nuf said.
Another outstanding post!! The cake looks amazing, and the photography is beautiful. I have made a number of your recipes lately and every one has been delicious. I am counting down the days until Thanksgiving in the US so I can make your sweet potato casserole! I made it last year and it was the hit of the meal!!
Wow your photography is looking great in this post! All the shots make the food look even more delicious than I’m sure it is! Sounds like a great recipe!
Oh no you di’int.
Um, can you order me a copy of that cookbook too? Thanks.
Oh, I just adore the last picture and also the three tiered cake picture.. <3
These look delicious…GOOD LUCK! :D
Lovely! Although, it’s odd. I have always found vegan baking easier than non-vegan baking. I have egg issues clearly :)
However I may regret saying that this Christmas as I make vegan marzipan and royal icing…..
Beautiful pictures, and that cake looks AMAZING! I’m jealous I didn’t get a slice :P
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend!
xoxo
Kris
Edible perfection at its best! PS: The color of pears away makes me feel good…not sure why…
they make me feel good too! I think it was my fav pic :)
Good luck Angela! My vote is with you. If it means the only vegan making it to the LAST round, that would make me happy! Congrats!
This is a FANTASTIC recipe!!! I think the best part about vegan baking is that you get to lick the bowl without being afraid that you will get salmonella!
DROOL! i love tatins…this one looks killer. extra caramel please :)
This is such an awesome entry! I love your pictures and what a delicious choice! : )
I’ve had so many flops with non-vegan baking, so I can’t even imagine how frustrating vegan baking must be sometimes! But you always seem to come up with a delicious product eventually. This cake looks incredible! :D
Your posts are inspired, Angela… I feel so honored to be in the same contest as you! I’m not vegan, but this is just an amazing looking cake. Great job, as always ;)
AMAZING cake and photos!!!!! I felt like I was right there baking along with you!
Happy Thanksgiving!! :)
Love.
You are amazing! I love when you put so much time and effort into something, and then it comes out amazing. It makes you feel so good, and I can tell you put so much love into this! Amazing job, wish I was there to try :)
……Drool.
(that is all.)
The cake looks absolutely flawless! It is so beautiful… my favorite photo has to be the last two though. You caught the happiness and joy that good food and good company brings. Love it!
You could definitely be the author of that book…LOL! Love it!
Okay so yea, this dessert just made me crave upside down whatever!!! YUMMY! You will get my vote for sure!
This looks delicious my dear!! I’ve never seen a tiered upside-down cake before and I want to gobble this one up right now! Good luck for round 4 – I’m about to vote for ya now :D
Hahaha “blueberry muffin bricks” your failures are fun to laugh at (and encourage me to keep experimenting and trying) but I love your successes WAY more! This upside down cake looks delectable.
Woah….that is really all there is to say. Like seriously….woah. You have my vote.
These cakes look & sound so incredible. What perfect recipes for the fall & holidays! I’m so glad that you’re still in the running & representing for the vegans! Voting for you!
I got pulled over last week for making a left turn somewhere that I KNEW may have been illegal, but I saw so many people doin it over the years I figured it was OK. Tell that to the cop who watched me :P
Wow! This looks mouthwateringly (yes, a new word :) ) AMAZING! You can always count on my vote! :)
What a gorgeous recipe and post! You are really blossoming in these food challenges. I also LURVE the book you’re reading in the first photo–where can I get one?! :D
Just voted – fingers crossed it goes well for you! Taught my dog how to shake one paw and the other, but anything further than that he just goes crazy and bats his arms about at random in desperation for his treat. Still, I adopted him when he was about 8 and have proven you definitely can teach an old dog new tricks (where there’s food involved). Love the Fall recipes you’re putting up – makes the transition to colder weather somewhat less painful…
You are such a good writer. And you def need to write a cookbook so I can buy it.
Oh wow Angela!!! “Impressed” isn’t even the right word to say how I feel about this post!! You deserve to be the next food blog star (although I think you are already a star!)
I was super confused why you said you wanted to own a cookbook like that one while you stood there with it in your hands. I re read it a few times before I read the author’s name.. haha!
These recipes look delicious!! You have a real talent for food photography :)
Best book title ever!
Everything about this post had me smiling! Absolutely LOVED it! You definitely got my vote, Angela! :)
OMG! so voting for you right now. this looks incredible – you have really outdone even you.
Thanks!
This looks amazing! I just went apple picking yesterday and can’t wait to try this recipe.
Beautiful Angela!! I’ve voting now!
Both look amazing- great job!
OMG, I don’t think it is possible to want to crawl into my computer to retrieve that cake more! It looks amazing! In all forms!
Wowww…that looks impossibly delicious.
Dumb question, what is fleur de sol?
Outdone yourself again Angela! I was wondering what you would come up with in this round. Here’s hoping that you get to the next round. If so, I should be visiting you by that time. So….. hopefully I will be right on time for sampling your next entry…….
Also, its not hard to be a nice mother-in-law… when you have such a wonderful daughter-in-law.
fabulous! what a great photo tutorial and an awesome way to show that you can tweak any recipe to make it fit what you are looking for!
Looks incredible! Absolutely delicious. You have restored my faith in vegan baking, which has been sorely tested in the past by the various vegans in my life. I will send them this recipe so they can stop torturing me with their stuff.
Voted!
Your photos of drizzled caramel and cake batter being scooped out of the bowl shouldn’t be legal, they could end hunger strikes! Also, I think there should be a week 11 challenge for best disaster photos. Good luck this week, voting for you!
Lick My Spoon
O, that looks SO delicious! And it looks very successful, which is nice ’cause caramel can be tricky.
Loved seeing your flops — and I LOVE the cake stacking you did! SO cute! You have a vote from me!
My own post is a romp through croissant making that’s filled with humor, exhaustion, and a little bit of popstar glamor. Come see if you’d like :)
congrats on being reader’s choice!!! Lovely post.
The next challenge is tough…off to make some pizza now :)
Congrats on Reader’s Choice, I definitely see why. I CAN NOT wait to make this cake and i love your analogy of wearing heels in Paris! Good Luck in the next round!
Congrats on getting the Reader’s Choice on Food Buzz!
You are right about the Vegan cooking, sometimes it turns out awesome and sometimes, not so much! My friend Celine has a great Vegan blog called www.havecakewilltravel.com
Have a great weekend!
Wow that cake looks incredible.
I hope it isn’t illegal in this country. Otherwise you might not see me here for a couple months.
And when I come back I’ll have 3 times the muscle mass and maybe a tattoo? :P
Congrats again, Angela! You have got a knack for this kind of competition. Can’t wait to see your entry for the next round!
Just wanted to let you know that your posts have been so so so amazing! Keep up the awesome blogging!
greetings,
really fall in love with your recipe. wanting to try this one very soon. just wondering that no egg needed for this lovely gingerbread pear upside down cake?
Omyword!… I loved this…you make readers feel as if we are right there in the moment with you…even down to the “I won’t mention any name!” …very well done… I have a lot of catching up to do!
Don’t get me started on the fair share of flopped, pun intended, pancakes. It seems everytime I ‘plan’ on making pancakes for breakfast they turn to hard, to mushy, to wrong.. those time it’s on a whim it’s brilliant. Thank you for another brilliant recipe!!! xo heather