Pear, Almond and Maple Syrup Upside-down Cake

A marvellous cake recipe perfect for the sweet season and all other times of the year, lovingly created by Katrine Paradis of the inspiring blog K pour Katrine, where all the recipes are lactose-free and gluten-free!
Ingredients
maple sauce
- 1 cup (250 mL) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp. (15 mL) lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. (30 mL) dairy-free margarine
cake
- 2 cups (500 mL) almond powder
- ¾ cup (180 mL) “La Merveilleuse de L’Angélique” gluten-free flour avalaible at Jean-Talon market at Aliments Merci. Or you can use an other gluten-free flour.
- 2 tsp. (2.5 mL) baking powder
- ½ tsp. (2.5. mL) baking soda
- ½ tsp. (2.5. mL) salt
- 2 tsp. (10 mL) Chinese five spice powder
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup (125 mL) maple syrup
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) almond milk
- ½ cup (125 mL) olive oil
- 2 tsp. (10 mL) vanilla extract
- 3 Bosc pears, sliced
Preparation
maple sauce
- Bring the maple syrup to a boil in a pot with a thick bottom. Lower the heat and reduce the syrup for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and margarine and mix together. Set aside.
cake
- Set the oven rack at mid-height in the oven and preheat it to 350°F. Grease a pan that is 9 inch square with sides that are at least 2 ½ inches high. Place parchment paper in the bottom.
- Mix the almond powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and five spice powder together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Beat the eggs, syrup, almond milk, olive oil and vanilla extract together in a large bowl, using an electric beater.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix together with a spatula. Set aside.
- Place the pear slices in a circular pattern at the bottom of the cake pan and pour in the maple sauce.
- Pour the batter over the pears and spread it carefully with the back of a spatula.
- Bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the cake is browning to quickly near the end of baking time, place a sheet of aluminium paper over it until it has finished baking.
- Let cool and loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a knife before turning it over onto a plate. Serve warm with coconut ice cream. It’s divine!