Spiced Ginger Pear Cake

         Pear season typically hits its peak in September-October. However, the harvesting season can span as far as August-March in the United States! Of course though, with the modern grocery store, you can really get them year round. Personally, I like to lean toward buying produce that is in season because that ensures a cheaper and fresher fruit or vegetable with less GMOs. Now, I do also realize I am writing this post in March. I am not in the peak of the growing season but there was a sale at the grocery store and I had to jump on it and make one of my favorite fall treats. 

    Growing up my mother often had similar ideas on when to buy produce: always lean toward whatever is in season or on sale. So, at the end of the apple season, we would lean hard into pear season with pears in our lunchboxes, salads, and even cakes! A spiced pear cake topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream (vanilla ice cream if we were really lucky) often graced our late fall table. Personally, I prefer a "spicier" cake compared to most people but the nice thing about flavorings is the amount you add doesn't affect the overall composition of a baked good and you can really measure with your heart based on what you think tastes good!

    My spiced pear cake recipe starts off with oil, brown sugar, and white sugar. I mix the together until they are smooth. Then, I add in a little molasses and one of my eggs. I beat everything together and then add in the rest of the eggs in one at a time, beating everything together in between. I then sift together my flour, baking powder, and spices. If you are using ground ginger you can sift that in with everything else. When everything is sifted I fold everything together just until there aren't any huge clumps but there is still quite a bit of mixing to do. This is when I like to peel a but of my fresh ginger and use a zester or a fine grater directly over the bowl and grate in the ginger. The more you use the "spicier" it will be. I like to use about a tablespoon about of fresh ginger but like I mentioned before I like a good kick to my cake. My recipe calls for about 1/2-1/4 tablespoon of fresh or dried ground ginger. I don't reccomend using more than one tablespoon but you can certainly use less.

    After adding my ginger I finish folding everything together just until there are no more dry spots. Be very careful to not over mix your cake batter. I like to use an eight or nine inch round cake pan for this recipe. I call this kind of cake a "snack cake" because you can just take a slice of it and eat it like a pizza with a napkin to catch the crumbs. With no frosting or layers you do not need a fork and a plate to eat it. Once my cake pan is greased I pour in my batter and start slicing my pears. I like to use a mandolin to slice them super thin and arrange them in a rose pattern starting in the middle of my cake and spreading out but you can slice them however you want! You just have to make sure your pears are not cut too thick so you get big mouthfuls of only pear and they are spread out evenly across the entire cake so that it bakes evenly. 

    I finish off the cake by sprinkling granulated sugar across the entire top for a bit of tasty caramelization and bake it for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees Farenheit. Sometimes if your pears are cut a little thick you will need to extend the time. The thicker your pears are, the more liquid they will release while baking, keeping the batter in the middle extra gooey. When my cake is done baking I let it cool entirely then I like to top it with a healthy dusting pf powdered sugar. This cake is perfect to serve for brunch or a coffee date with a latte or tea or you can serve it for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream! This cake keeps covered on the counter for about 3-4 days or covered in the fridge for about a week. Of course, the humidity and temperature of your house makes a huge difference to how well it keeps so use your best judgement! I love to make this for a coffee date with one of my girlfriends and eat it for breakfast the next day!

How did this recipe work for you? What should I make next? Leave me a comment!