PEAR CAKE

PEAR CAKE

http://thesouthernladycooks.com/2014/08/29/fresh-pear-cake/

This was really good.  Scott especially liked.  Next time I would make with nuts.

I did the Cider Glaze with cinnamon mixture sprinkled on top of each individual piece.  Just used some fresh apple cider I had on hand.

4 medium sized fresh pears, peeled, cored and grated or about 2 cups

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

12 tablespoons butter or 3/4 cup, melted

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped nuts, walnuts or pecans, Optional

TOPPING

1 cup powdered sugar

4 or 5 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves in a large mixing bowl until well mixed.  Add melted butter, sour cream, buttermilk, eggs,  vanilla extract and pears stirring with a spoon to mix well.  Fold in nuts.  Pour into a well sprayed 10 inch bundt pan.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 60 to 70 minutes checking to make sure cake is done on the inside.  Cool for 20 to 25 minutes and remove from pan. Let cool.  Combine the topping ingredients mixing well and drizzle over cake.  Enjoy!

Note:  You can frost this cake with cream cheese frosting or even caramel frosting would be good if you don’t want to use the powdered sugar topping.  It would also be good just sprinkled with powdered sugar. I have posted the cream cheese frosting and caramel frosting recipes below for your convenience.

For the Cider Glaze:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/8 – 1/4 cup hard cider *(see below for substitutions)

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

While cake is baking, prepare Cider Glaze. Melt butter, sugar and water over medium high heat. Bring mixture to a boil and let boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add the cider, stirring to combine.

Place baking sheet under wire rack. Using a pastry brush or marinate brush, cover cake with glaze. I usually do this in several passes, letting one application of glaze sink in and then going back over the cake with another.

Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Coating. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle the warm, glazed cake with cinnamon sugar, using fingers to rub it onto the sides of the cake. (I usually place my cinnamon sugar mixture in an empty spice bottle, or salt shaker and then sprinkle it over the cake.)