Apple Pear Upside-Down Cake with Ginger Caramel Glaze

Directions

1. Ginger Caramel Glaze
2. In a small sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup sugar over medium low heat until melted and turning brown - about 15 minutes.
3. Add 1/4 boiling hot water and stir furiously (sugar will bubble and fuss when you add this).
4. Add 1 tablespoon ginger and 1 tablespoon cream. Whisk together and remove from heat. Pour into a 10" oven-proof skillet.

1. Apple Pear Upside-Down Cake
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Peel and core the apple and pear; cut each in half.
4. Dice the first half of each apple and pear.
5. With the remaining halves of the apple and pear, slice into thin strips. Place on top of the Ginger Caramel Glaze in the skillet. Fan them out to make a nice design. Start with the pears on the outside, not overlapping. Then place the apple slices in the inner circle.
6. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
7. To the butter+sugar mixture, add the egg, vanilla, buttermilk, flour, soda, and ginger. Mix on low speed until just combined OR mix by hand. Do not overmix.
8. Stir in diced apple and pear to the cake mix.
9. Pour cake mixture over apples and pears in the caramel sauce.
10. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove skillet from oven and let sit 5 minutes, then invert onto cake plate.