Upside Down Pear Gingerbread Cake

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup butter

¼ cup brown sugar

1 (29 ounce) can pear halves, well drained

½ cup white sugar

½ cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 cup molasses

1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a bowl, lightly mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt until thoroughly combined.

Place 1/4 cup of butter into a 10-inch springform pan, put it in the oven, and allow to melt for a minute or two. Sprinkle the melted butter evenly with brown sugar. Pat the pear halves dry with paper towels, and cut each half into 3 slices lengthwise. Arrange the pear slices in a spiral pattern on top of the brown sugar. Without disturbing the arranged slices, spray the inside walls of the pan with cooking spray.

Beat the white sugar and 1/2 cup of butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until creamy; beat in the egg, then mix in the molasses. Mix the flour mixture into the molasses mixture, then stir in the hot water. Pour the batter into the springform pan on top of the pear slices.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Allow to cool completely in the pan before inverting on a serving dish and removing pan.