My mother-in-law used to make the most amazing upside down ginger cake. It was absolutely heavenly. Sadly she is no longer us and as I know her recipe used sugar, eggs and milk, I thought I would try to recreate it using only plant based products and refined sugar free. It turned out a treat! Even though this does use coconut palm sugar, which is refined sugar free, it is still quite high in the calorie department.

175g Sharpham Park Spelt Flour

1 Tablespoon ground ginger

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 Teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

75g coconut palm sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

80g coconut oil (melted)

150 g date or coconut palm syrup

125ml plant milk (I used soy)

2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 4 tablespoons water, set to one side for 5 minutes until it thickens)

50g maple syrup

1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar

Glaze

1 tin pear halves in fruit juice drained

Walnut halves (about 6)

250g coconut palm sugar

3 Tablespoons coconut oil

4 Tablespoons date syrup

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C

Make the glaze first. In a cake tin (I used a 20 inch one) place the pear halves flat side down arranging them in a circle. In between the pear halves, place the walnut halves flat side down too and one or two in the middle.

In a saucepan over a low heat melt the coconut palm sugar making sure to stir it often with a wooden spoon until it becomes runny. Add the date syrup and the coconut oil stirring continuously. Pour the mixture over the pear halves and walnuts. It will not completely cover them but try to get the mixture spread out evenly. Set to one side.

Now make the cake mixture by stirring together all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Mix together. You will notice the wet ingredients become a little bubbly (the apple cider vinegar and bicarb do this, clever!). Pour the mixture over the pear and walnut glaze. In the oven it goes for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set to one side until it cools a little. I would wait about 15-20 minutes, then turn it out onto a plate. The goo from the glaze should just be runny enough to not stick to the bottom of the cake tin. Delicious served with some soya yoghurt on the side.