PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

3 (1 lb) fresh pears, peeled, cored and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 pkg (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 pkg (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup canola or olive oil
Frozen whipped topping, thawed, for serving (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange pears over the bottom of the prepared pan. Mix brown sugar and pie spice and sprinkle over the pears, top with the cranberries.

Using an electric mixer, mix the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil until well blended. Pour evenly over the ingredients in the pan. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cake is starting to pull away from the sides.

Allow cake to cool 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a large platter over the cake and invert cake onto the platter. Gently remove the pan.

Cool cake slightly before cutting to serve. Serve with the whipped topping, if desired.

Yield: 16 servings

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