Pear Spice Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening or cooking spray; light flour.
• Peel, core and chop 2 of the pears; place in blender. Cover; puree until smooth. Measure 1/2 cup of the puree. Reserve remaining puree for another use.
• In small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup pear puree, the oil and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined.
• Peel, core and chop remaining 3 pears. Fold chopped pears into cake batter. Pour into pan.
• Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Place cooling rack upside down over pan; turn rack and pan over. Remove pan. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• To make icing, in 2-quart saucepan, cook butter, brown sugar, salt and cream over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. With whisk, beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Immediately pour over cooled cake.

Steps:

• Pour melted butter into a 9-in. square baking pan; sprinkle with nuts and brown sugar. Arrange pears over nuts., In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Spread batter over pears. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Stir 1/2 cup butter in small saucepan over medium heat until melted and brown, about 3 minutes. Pour into large bowl. Add spice cake mix, canned pear nectar, eggs, molasses and crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer, beat batter 2 minutes. Fold in pears. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until cake is dark brown and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
• Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Run knife between pan sides and cake to loosen. Release pan sides. Place cake on platter.
• Stir golden brown sugar, whipping cream and remaining 1/2 cup butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until smooth. Boil 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in pecan halves. Spoon warm topping over warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.