Years ago, I had a recipe for fresh pear cake that someone at work had given me. The cake was fantastic, but somehow I lost the recipe. I've been trying to recreate the cake and think I've finally hit on the right recipe. The cake is moist from juicy, ripe pears and includes just a bit of sweet spice so as not to mask the flavor of the pears. Pecans add crunch as well as flavor. The topping for the cake is where the real hit of sweetness comes into play. A brown sugar and butter mixture is poured over the warm cake, seeps into the top of the cake, and forms a praline-like crust. The cake is simple to mix up with no need for a stand mixer. A whisk and spoon will be just fine. And, no, the cake does not require any butter or oil! I bake the cake in a large loaf pan, but you could also bake it in a tube pan, if you'd prefer. This is a great "Sunday Dinner" dessert. Simple. Sweet. Delicious. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside and you'll have a very happy (and full) tummy.
Fresh Pear Cake with Praline Glaze -- Makes 1 Very Large Loaf Cake
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of light sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 1/4- 1 1/2 cups of peeled, chopped ripe pears
1 1/2 cups of pecans, half chopped, half not, divided
Glaze
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
Coat a large loaf pan (9- x 5-inches) or a tube pan with baking spray (the kind with flour) or grease and flour the pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice until well combined. Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until combined. Fold in the pears and 3/4 cup of chopped pecans. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly/place the remainder of the pecans on the top of the cake. Bake the cake for about an hour or until the cake is a deep golden brown and a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with no moist batter on it (it may have a few crumbs). Let the cake cool in its pan for 10 minutes while you make the glaze. In a microwave-safe bowl or measure (I use a 2-cup Pyrex measure), combine the butter, dark brown sugar, and ginger. Microwave the mixture for a 45 seconds and stir it well. Return it to the microwave and give it another 30 seconds or so until it boils. Stir it well, give it another 15 seconds and pour the hot glaze over the warm cake. If you let the glaze sit, it will harden up. If that happens, add a little water, a spoonful at a time, and microwave the mixture in 15 second increments, stirring it in between, until it loosens up. Then pour the mixture over the cake.
