Pear Walnut Spice Cake Recipes

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut a half-stick of butter into slices and place it and the brown sugar in the cake pan. Set the pan over a medium-high burner. Stir as the butter and sugar melt together and continue until the mixture gets pale and bubbly, swirly when stirred, and toasty brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Note: If you'd rather not make the caramel in the cake pan, you can use a large skillet instead and simply pour the caramel into the cake pan when done.)
• Arrange the pear wedges in the cake pan in an even patter. Sprinkle the walnuts evenly over the pears.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
• Place the remaining 1 1/2 sticks of butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. Beat the heck out of the butter using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer until it gets lighter in both color and consistency. Add the sugar and beat until well blended and fluffy.
• Separate the egg yolks from the whites and set the whites aside in a medium bowl. Stir the yolks into the butter mixture until completely blended (no need to beat, and then stir the vanilla. Add half the dry ingredients and stir until mixed in. Stir in the milk until completely smooth, then the rest of the dry ingredients just until fully incorporated; set aside.
• Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg whites until very fluffy. The whites should look shiny with soft peaks-stop whisking before they get dry looking. Gently but thoroughly fold the whipped whites into the batter-all the air that you just whipped in will go out of the whites if you over-mix at this point. Pour the batter over the fruit and gently smooth the top.
• Put the cake in the oven and start checking for doneness in 35 minutes: peek in, give the pan a tiny nudge, and look for jigglyness in the center. If it wobbles and looks soft and crinkled on top, gently close the door and set the timer for 5 more minutes. If it's looking set, slide the rack out and touch the top of the cake with your fingers, testing for bounce-back. If your touch leaves a dent that stays, return the cake to the oven. If it does spring back, the final test is sticking a toothpick into center of the cake. When it comes out moist, but crumb-free, it's done!
• Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert a plate on top of the pan, and carefully but quickly flip it over. Tap the bottom of the pan if the cake doesn't fall onto the plate on its own. Lift the pan away and replace any pear slices that may have stuck there.
• When ready to serve, combine all the ingredients for the whipped crème fraîche in a large bowl; whip until thick and fluffy, but still soft.
• Slice the cake and serve each wedge with a dollop of whipped crème fraîche.

Steps:

• Cake:.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F Butter and flour bundt pan.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Beat together butter, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 4 with a handheld. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla.
• Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in batches, mixing well after each addition.
• Fold in pear pieces and chopped walnuts.
• Beat egg whites in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks, then fold whites into batter gently but thoroughly.
• Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.
• Walnut Praline Topping:.
• Stir golden brown sugar, whipping cream and 1/2 cup butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until smooth. Boil 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in walnut pieces. Spoon warm topping over warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk; beat well. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Combine milk and vinegar. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Fold in walnuts., In a small bowl with clean beaters, beat egg white on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually fold into batter. Transfer to two 6-in. baking pans coated with cooking spray and dusted with flour. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a small saucepan, combine flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Cover; cool to room temperature., In a small bowl, cream butter and shortening. Gradually beat in sugar. Gradually add cooled milk mixture and beat for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt; beat well. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.

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.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Place flour in a small bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4 cup of nut mixture; set aside for topping. Set aside remaining nut mixture for filling., In a small bowl, toss pears with lemon juice; set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. , Spread two-thirds of the batter into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Top with the reserved nut mixture, pears and remaining batter. Sprinkle with walnuts and reserved topping mixture. , Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool for 1 hour before cutting.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, toss pears with lemon juice and vanilla.
• In 13x9-inch pan, melt 2/3 cup butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon over melted butter. Arrange pears in pan.
• Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, butter and eggs. Pour batter over pears.
• Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Let stand 5 minutes so topping drizzles over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool.