"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
- Albert Camus












Autumn Spice Pear Cake
Serves 6 - 8 // Prep Time: : 15 // Total Cook Time: 1:15
CAKE INGREDIENTS
+ 3 cups all-purpose flour
+ 1¼ tsp. baking soda
+ ½ tsp. salt
+ 1 tsp. cinnamon
+ 1 tsp. ginger
+ ½ tsp. nutmeg
+ ¼ tsp. ground cloves
+ 5 ripe pears
+ 3/4 cup vegetable oil
+ 2 cups granulated sugar
+ 3 eggs
+ 1 tsp. vanilla
+ shortening or Bak-Klen ZT (my favorite) to grease pan
+ flour to coat pan
ICING INGREDIENTS
+ ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
+ ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
+ ¼ tsp. salt
+ ⅓ cup heavy cream
+ 1 cup confectioner's sugar
+ saucepan
EQUIPMENT
+ 12 cup bundt pan
+ blender
+ electric mixer
CAKE DIRECTIONS
- Heat oven Heat oven to 350°F.
- Grease cake pan and flour lightly.
- Peel and core 2 pears. Purée in blender until smooth. Measure ½ the purée and retain the rest for later.
- In small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- In a larger bowl, beat the purée, oil, and granulated sugar with electric mixer until blended.
- Add eggs and mix until well combined.
- Add vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add flour gradually, blending as you go until fully combined.
- Peel and core remaining 3 pears. Fold chopped pears into cake batter.
- Pour mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cook cake for 15 minutes then invert onto cooling rack and remove pan.
- Cool cake completely, about 45 more minutes.
ICING DIRECTIONS
- To make icing, melt butter, brown sugar, salt and cream over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.
- Boil 1 minute, stirring the entire time.
- Remove from heat; let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
- Whisk in in powdered sugar until smooth.
- Immediately pour over cooled cake.