Pear Spice Cake Wcream Cheese Frosting Pecan Praline Topping Recipes

OLD FASHIONED PEAR SPICE CAKE [WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING]

Steps:

• In the large bowl of an electric mixture, combine sugar, oil, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger salt and flour.
• Mix to blend; then beat at medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold pears and nuts into batter.
• Spread in an ungreased 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
• Bake in a 350 oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (50-55 minutes).
• Let cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, prepare Cream Cheese Frosting.
• For frosting:.
• Beat [butter, cream cheese and vanilla] until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting is of good spreading consistency.
• Spread frosting over cool cake.

PEAR SPICE CAKE WITH PECAN PRALINE TOPPING

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.

PEAR SPICE CAKE W/CREAM CHEESE FROSTING & PECAN PRALINE TOPPING

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter two 9" cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. Mix dry ingredients for cake in a large bowl. Stir 1/2 cup butter in small saucepan over medium heat until melted and brown, about 3 min. To the dry mixture, add pear nectar, eggs, molasses and crystallized ginger, then add brown butter. Using an electric mixer, beat batter 2 min on medium speed. Fold in pears. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until cake is dark brown and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 25 min. Layers will be very thin. Cool cake in pans on racks for 15 min. Shake pans gently to be sure cake is free (run knife around edge if necessary), dump out and turn back onto parchment side, finish cooling on racks. Meanwhile, make frosting by beating cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until most of it is incorporated. Taste for sweetness, adjust to taste. Add sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add vanilla, beat until frosting is light and fluffy. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day in advance.) Peel parchment off, torte layers. Place first layer on cake board or serving platter. Put a layer of frosting on. Repeat with next two layers, then put the last layer of cake on top, smooth side up (no crumbs!). Do not frost top. Frost sides of cake smooth, then pipe an edge around the top to hold the praline topping. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Shortly before serving, make topping by stirring butter, brown sugar and heavy cream in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until smooth. Boil 3 min, stirring often. Stir in pecan halves. Take cake out of fridge, spoon warm topping into center. Serve immediately for gooey texture, or later for a more southern praline texture.

SOUR CREAM PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously butter a 9 inch Bundt or tube pan. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar into the pan, and tilt to coat the buttered surface. Shake out the excess.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, cream together 3/4 cup of butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the vanilla and sour cream, mixing just until blended. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Fold in the chopped pears using a rubber spatula.
• In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and pecans. Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the pecan mixture. Repeat layers two more times, ending with the pecan mixture on top.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed, or a knife inserted into the crown comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the outside edge of the cake. Carefully invert onto a cooling rack. If the cake won't come out of the pan, tap it firmly with a knife on the bottom and sides of the pan. Set aside to cool completely.
• When cool, transfer the cake to a serving plate using two spatulas. Drizzle with the caramel ice cream topping before serving.

PEAR CAKE WITH SOUR CREAM TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and lemon zest; mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. , Spread batter into a greased 13x9-in. or 3-qt. baking dish. Slice pear halves; arrange slices in rows on top of batter. Mix topping ingredients until smooth; spread over pears. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes.

PECAN PRALINE TOPPING

Steps:

• Melt butter over medium heat in a small pan. Stir in brown sugar, whipping cream and vanilla.
• Cook and stir until it reaches a full boil then reduce heat and boil gently for three minutes stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and stir in chopped pecans (and shot of rum if serving the adult version). Serve warm.