Pear-Gingerbread Upside-Down Cake

Preparation Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch nonstick baking pan. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Transfer 1/3 cup butter to small bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar into remaining butter in saucepan until blended (mixture may be grainy). Spread butter-sugar mixture in prepared pan; slightly overlap enough pear slices to cover mixture. Dice enough remaining pear to yield 1 cup. Using electric mixer, beat molasses, reserved 1/3 cup butter, and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs, then preserves. Beat in flour and pumpkin pie spice; stir in diced pears. Spread batter over pears in pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Invert cake onto platter; cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Preparation Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch nonstick baking pan. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Transfer 1/3 cup butter to small bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar into remaining butter in saucepan until blended (mixture may be grainy). Spread butter-sugar mixture in prepared pan; slightly overlap enough pear slices to cover mixture. Dice enough remaining pear to yield 1 cup. Using electric mixer, beat molasses, reserved 1/3 cup butter, and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs, then preserves. Beat in flour and pumpkin pie spice; stir in diced pears. Spread batter over pears in pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Invert cake onto platter; cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.