Pear Upside-Down Gingerbread

• 3 peeled small pears, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger, divided
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine pears, 1 tablespoon ginger, and lemon juice. Coat a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Arrange pears in bottom of pan in a circular pattern.

Combine brown sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Beat in egg. Add buttermilk, molasses, and 1 tablespoon ginger; beat until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through nutmeg). Add flour mixture to batter; stir until well-blended. Pour over pears. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack. Place a plate sprinkled with powdered sugar upside down on top of cake pan; invert cake onto plate.

Yield: 8 servings; 244 calories.

VERDICT:  I made this for Christmas dinner.  It's pretty good--best with vanilla ice cream.  Keep.