Ginger-Pear Cake

I really love fall. It's one of my favorite seasons. Mostly for the spiced baked goods. 

And I had a crazy hankering for some gingerbread the other day. 

Lucky me, there is a lovely woman who works at the same place I do. 

This kind, kind lady brought in a whole paper grocery sack full of the pears from a tree in her yard. She left them anonymously in the office kitchen. I ate one, and then quickly snatched several more for fall baking purposes.

She told me later that she had no idea to do with them, and typically let her dog eat them.

I believe that the dog is now going to have a wee bit of competition for those pears after she finds out how easy this cake is to make!! 

Start off with you cast iron skillet - in goes some butter, brown sugar, and molasses.

Next, pecans. Stir them in to coat, and even them out.

Then, layer in the pears.

Now - to the cake part. 

Cream (aka beat) butter and sugar together. Just like with every other cake in the universe. 

Then - an egg. 

Here's where it gets exciting. Molasses! A whole cup!

Next, in a separate bowl, the dry goods: flour, baking powder, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, salt. 

Whisk them up and then mix them into the molasses/butter mixture. 

Beat in your cup of hot water.

Pour on top of pears. 

Bake until slightly cracked on top, and springy to the touch. About 40 minutes. 

Flip out onto a platter - aka sheet pan with parchment paper on it, cause I don't have a big enough plate!

 Make sure you save a slice for yourself. This cake goes quickly!!

Ginger-Pear Cake

Adapted from Food 52

Topping:

4 tbsp butter

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 tbsp molasses

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

3 medium pears, peeled and sliced thinly

Cake:

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

1 egg

1 c. molasses

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, combine the first 3 topping ingredients: butter, brown sugar, and molasses. Cook over medium heat until all combined. Add pecans. Layer the pears over the sugar mixture in a pretty and even pattern

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the molasses. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, allspice,  and salt. 

Slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture, beating as you go. Beat in the 1 c. of hot water. 

Gently pour the batter over your pears and topping. 

Bake for 40 minutes or until cake begins to crack and is springy to the touch. 

Flip out onto a platter (or parchment lined sheet pan). Serve hot or cold. Delicious both ways.