Bartlett Pear Bundt Cake

I was tempted to bake Pear Scones with Pear Maple Butter this week but the recipe for Bartlett Pear Cake piqued my interest enough to leave the scone recipe for another day.

 

I’ve made cakes and breads using peaches, apples, bananas and berries but the addition of pear is a first for me.

 

I love this time of year, the sight of fruit filled bushels and baskets make my favourite season even more enjoyable. Using the harvest fruit to cook and bake with really makes this time of year extra special.

 

Bartlett Pear Bundt Cake is absolutely delicious and can certainly feed a crowd. The pear chunks add a delicate pear taste and moistness while the hint of ginger, walnuts and brown sugar add an extra element of taste and texture.

 

Perhaps the most special part of baking this cake is that I used my retro harvest yellow bundt pan.  How fitting that I chose the harvest yellow colour over the poppy red and avocado green available at the time.

The pan is a little worse for wear after so many years but still turns out a perfect Bundt cake!

Bartlett Pear Bundt Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups sour cream

2 medium firm but ripe Bartlett pears cut into small chunks

Filling

¾ cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 cup medium-chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Generously butter a Bundt pan and set aside.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition
6. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until well blended.
7. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients gradually until well mixed.  Batter will be sticky.
8. Using a spatula carefully fold in pear chunks into the batter. Set aside.
9. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, ginger and walnuts.
10. Place 1/3 of the batter in the bottom of prepared cake pan.
11. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the brown sugar mixture.  Repeat layers twice more.
12. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until top is firm and cake tester comes out clean.
13. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn cake out onto a rack to cool completely.
14. Lightly sift confectioners' sugar over top.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Reducing the brown sugar to ½ cup for the filling works well.
• If top of cake is browning a little too much loosely tent some foil wrap on the top for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
• A light sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar over the top of the cake finishes it off perfectly.
• Serve with a dollop of ginger and cinnamon flavoured whipped cream.  Whip 3/4 cup whipping cream with 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar until thick.
• Cake freezes well.