The Upside Down Pear Coffee Cake is simply delicious. The scandalous disappearance of Ross is also simply delicious. This edition of the Hannah Swensen Mystery Series pulls you back into the characters’ lives.
This is book #22 in the Hannah Swensen Mystery series. Author Joanne Fluke spent 20 books keeping the readers entertained with a love triangle and when the ‘who will she choose’ mystery is finally solved, the story takes a shocking turn. Now it doesn’t matter if you were Team Norman or Team Mike, all you can do now is be Team Hannah. Find out how this is possible in this novel.
Raspberry Danish Murder by Joanne Fluke
Upside Down Pear Coffee Cake
from a cozy mystery:
Raspberry Danish Murder
by Joanne Fluke
Outline and Tone:
After 20 books in this series, you may think the story of the characters would get old, rusty, or dusty; they have not. If anything, the characters have become more complex because we know them better. However, Fluke adds an interesting twist to the lives of Hannah. After finally resolving the will they or won’t they between Hannah, Norman, and Mike, Hannah marries someone else! But after only 2 weeks of marriage, her husband disappears leaving only questions and surprising bank accounts. The novel ends with the best cliff hanger of the series. The novel is worth the read just to get to the cliff hanger.
In this novel, Hannah relies on her sister Michelle to uncover clues to the murdered victim. In an interesting twist, Hannah and Michelle are on a video call when the victim dies. However, it is not that straightforward because for most of the novel, they aren’t sure if the victim was the intended target. It is quite clever.
One of the fun things in this series is Hannah is always having dreams just before she wakes up that tell the reader what she is really thinking. In this novel she has an interesting dream about an orange and how she wants it but wasn’t taking care of it. It is clear she is feeling distraught over her new husband’s disappearance. She seems to be harboring some misplaced guilt!
The book reads quickly and as usual, it is interspersed with numerous recipes.
The author: Joanne Fluke
Joanne Fluke published her first Hannah Swenson novel, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, in 2001. Since then she has been a New York Times bestselling author several times. Some of her books have been made into movies on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel. Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery can be found online with Hallmark Movies. Joanne Fluke is active on Facebook and Twitter. She does many interviews with her local news station and posts them on her Youtube channel. If you want to see her take on the book and recipes, she has a Youtube channel that is dedicated to Raspberry Danish Mystery.
What is not to like?:
I just simply want to know more! Where is Hannah’s husband and how will this resolve!
The verdict:
Joanne Fluke has written another winner. The best part is she added a twist that has hooked me back into the series again. I highly recommend this novel and I am looking forward to how the story continues to play out in the next book.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Upside Down Pear Coffee Cake
Assemble the Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
Prepare your baking pan(s). You’ll need a 9-inch by 9-inch square pan with 2-inch tall sides.
Hannah’s 1st Note:
If the only square pan you have is 8 inches square, use that and also use a standard-size bread pan. Baking times for alternate pans are different, so test for doneness by inserting a long toothpick or cake tester in the center of the pan. If it comes out clean, your cake is done. If not, give it a bit more baking time in the oven.
Spray your pan(s) with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.
While your pan(s) are prepared, empty, and still cool, find a pretty, heatproof platter. Make sure that the platter is larger than the surface of the pan. It will also help if the platter has slightly raised edges because the butterscotch liquid that will be formed in the oven will drizzle down when you invert the pan over the platter. And you won’t want to lose a drop of that wonderful butterscotch taste!
Prepare the Sweet Crumb Topping first.
Use a fork from your silverware drawer to mix the chopped pecans and the brown sugar together in a small mixing bowl. If your family has nut allergies or if like me, you just don’t like pecans, you can use dry oatmeal instead.
Next, mix in the all-purpose flour and the cinnamon.
Use the fork or a pie crust blender to cut in the cold butter.
Continue to mix until the resulting mixture is crumbly.
Set the Sweet Crumb Topping aside on the counter while you prepare the fruit layer.
Place the butter in the bottom of your prepared baking pan(s). Set the pan(s) in the oven until the butter has melted.
Use pot holders to take the pan(s) out of the oven and then move to a wire rack or a cold stove burner.
Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the melted butter in the pan(s).
Arrange the thinly sliced pears in the pan(s).
Sprinkle the golden raisins on top of the sliced pears.
Let the pan(s) sit on the rack or cold burners while you make the Coffee Cake Batter.
Hannah’s 2nd Note:
This coffee cake is easier to make if you use an electric mixer. You can do it by hand, but it will take some time and muscle.
Combine the flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix for a few seconds on LOW speed and turn off the mixer.
Add the softened butter, milk, and egg. Mix them in on LOW speed for a minute and then turn the mixer up to MEDIUM speed.
Mix for one minute, then shut off the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
Mix at MEDIUM speed for another 2 minutes, shut off the mixer, and scrape down the bowl again.
Take the bowl out of the mixer and give it another stir by hand with a rubber spatula.
Pour the Coffee Cake Batter over the fruit layer in your pan(s).
Remember that Sweet Crumb Topping? It’s now time to use it.
Sprinkle the Sweet Crumb Topping over the Coffee Cake Batter in your pan(s).
Bake your yummy creation at 350 degrees F. until a cake tester, long toothpick, or thin wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean with no batter sticking to it.
Baking time for the 9-inch by 9- inch square pan should be approximately 50 minutes.
If you used an 8-inch by 8-inch square pan, baking time should be approximately 60 minutes.
If you also used a standard-sized bread pan, baking time should be approximately 40 minutes.
Hannah’s 3rd Note:
Start testing your Upside Down Pear Coffee Cake 5 minutes before the end of the baking time.
Use pot holders to remove the pan(s) from the oven, then immediately invert a heatproof serving platter over the top of your pan. Hold on to the pan(s) with pot holders and invert the pan quickly.
Leave the pan(s) in place, sitting on top of your Upside Down Pear Coffee Cake, for one or two minutes so that the butterscotch formed by the butter and brown sugar can drizzle down over the top of your coffee cake(s).
Yield: Approximately 9 servings unless you invite Mike or Norman.
Michelle’s Note:
The net time I make this, I’m going to try it with thinly sliced fresh peaches.
Upside Down Pear Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Sweet Crumb Topping
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans (or oatmeal if nuts is not an option for you)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp cold salted butte
Fruit Layer
- ¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)
- ½ cup brown sugar (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
- 3 pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, either fresh or canned.
- ½ cup golden raisins
Coffee Cake Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
- 1 cup white (granulated) sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder (1 tablespoon, NOT teaspoon)
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅓ cup softened, salted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
- Prepare your baking pan(s). You'll need a 9-inch by 9-inch square pan with 2-inch tall sides. Spray your pan(s) with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare the Sweet Crumb Topping first.Use a fork from your silverware drawer to mix the chopped pecans and the brown sugar together in a small mixing bowl.
- Next, mix in the all-purpose flour and the cinnamon.
- Use the fork or a pie crust blender to cut in the cold butter. Continue to mix until the resulting mixture is crumbly.
- Set the Sweet Crumb Topping aside on the counter while you prepare the fruit layer.
- Place the butter in the bottom of your prepared baking pan(s). Set the pan(s) in the oven until the butter has melted. Use pot holders to take the pan(s) out of the oven and then move to a wire rack or a cold stove burner.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the melted butter in the pan(s).
- Arrange the thinly sliced pears in the pan(s).
- Sprinkle the golden raisins on top of the sliced pears.
- Let the pan(s) sit on the rack or cold burners while you make the Coffee Cake Batter.
- Prepare the batter: Combine the flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix for a few seconds on LOW speed and turn off the mixer.
- Add the softened butter, milk, and egg. Mix them in on LOW speed for a minute and then turn the mixer up to MEDIUM speed.
- Mix for one minute, then shut off the mixer and scrape down the bowl.Mix at MEDIUM speed for another 2 minutes, shut off the mixer, and scrape down the bowl again.Take the bowl out of the mixer and give it another stir by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the Coffee Cake Batter over the fruit layer in your pan(s).
- Sprinkle the Sweet Crumb Topping over the Coffee Cake Batter in your pan(s)
- Bake your yummy creation at 350 degrees F. until a cake tester, long toothpick, or thin wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean with no batter sticking to it.Baking time for the 9-inch by 9- inch square pan should be approximately 50 minutes.If you used an 8-inch by 8-inch square pan, baking time should be approximately 60 minutes.If you also used a standard-sized bread pan, baking time should be approximately 40 minutes.
- Use pot holders to remove the pan(s) from the oven, then immediately invert a heatproof serving platter over the top of your pan. Hold on to the pan(s) with pot holders and invert the pan quickly.
- Leave the pan(s) in place, sitting on top of your Upside Down Pear Coffee Cake, for one or two minutes so that the butterscotch formed by the butter and brown sugar can drizzle down over the top of your coffee cake(s).
What would I do differently next time?
My pears were still slightly firm and that was perfect for this recipe, however; I would add more butter and brown sugar to the bottom of the pan next time.
Here are more recipes for breakfast
Double Blueberry Pancakes from Fatal Reservations by Lucy Burdette
Orange Scones from Nacho Average Murder by Maddie Day
Apple Bacon Egg Bake from Death of a Bacon Heiress by Lee Hollis
Eggnog Oatmeal and Eggless Nog from Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse by Maddie Day
