Happy Birthday Pear Cake For Mom

Today is my beautiful goddess-mother's birthday, and she requested a recipe for upside down pear cake  that I made years ago, because she has an excess of pears from her orchard. So here it is: (Please note, this recipe is not in keeping with my current diet guidelines, so I will offer substitutions as well.)

Old English Recipe:                                  Substitutions:                  
4 tbsp long grain rice                                 whole grain rice
1/2 pint milk                                               rice milk
5 oz butter                                                  vegan margarine
2 tbsp golden syrup (?)                               light maple or brown rice
3 oz raw sugar                                            syrup
6 pears, halved
4 oz soft brown sugar                                 unrefined brown sugar
2 eggs, separated                                         egg substitute
3 oz self-raising flour                                  brown rice flour
3 tsp ground ginger

1. Simmer the rice in the milk in a covered pan for about 25 min, until tender and milk is absorbed. Cool.
2. Melt 1 oz butter with syrup and raw sugar. Spoon into 7-inch square, lined pan. Arrange pear halves
on top, rounded tops up, so when you flip it out they will be hole side up.
3. Whisk the remaining butter until soft, gradually beat in the soft brown sugar, egg yolks and cool rice    
mixture.
4. Gently fold in the flour and ginger sifted together. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the
mixture.
5. Spoon into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes. Turn out of pan and serve hot with cream if desired.

Happy Birthday, Mom! Wish I could be there to make it for you :-)