Pear Spice Cake With Pecan Praline Topping Recipes

SPICED APPLE-PECAN LOAF WITH PECAN PRALINE TOPPING

Steps:

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the flour and the next 4 ingredients to blend in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the flour mixture. Add the apples, 2/3 cup pecans and raisins and stir until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top. Bake until the top of the loaf is set, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile: stir the pecans, brown sugar and melted butter to blend for topping. Remove the pan from the oven and spoon the topping carefully over the top of the loaf. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking until a tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 25 minutes, longer. Cool the loaf in the pan on a rack about 10 minutes. Carefully turn the loaf out and cool completely. (Bread can be baked 3 days ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.) For Mini Loaves: Brush 3 (5.72 x 3.94 x 1.88) inch aluminum loaf pans generously with butter. Divide batter among pan; smooth top. Bake until the top of the loaves are set, about 25 minutes. Carefully top the loaves with the pecan mixture, dividing evenly. Continue baking until a tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 20 minutes longer.

SOUTHERN PRALINE PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9 or 10 inch Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Combine the cake mix with the frosting, eggs, oil, water and 1/2 of the pecan pieces. Mix until combined.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of pecans in the prepared Bundt pan then pour in the cake batter.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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.

PEAR SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat over to 350°F In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and flour. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla and pear juice. Beat in spices and pears, mix until well incorporated, but still chunky. Fold in by hand, toasted nuts. Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. To make glaze, stir together all ingredients and drizzle over cake while hot.
• Serving suggestions: Serve warm with hot coffee or sliced cold and spread with cream cheese, to make a tea sandwich.

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.

PEACH PRALINE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°. , In a 10-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Remove from heat. Arrange peaches in a single layer over brown sugar mixture; sprinkle with chopped pecans., In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add sugar, beating on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in milk, melted butter and vanilla. Fold in flour mixture., With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium until stiff but not dry; gradually fold into batter. Pour batter into skillet. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22-27 minutes., Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. If desired, serve warm with whipped cream and pecan halves.

PRALINE PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an eight-inch round cake pan but do not use one with a removable bottom.
• Toast the almonds until lightly browned under the broiler, in a toaster oven or in a heavy ungreased skillet on the top of the stove. Set aside.
• Swirl one-third cup of the sugar with the water in a heavy saucepan or skillet until the sugar dissolves. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns a uniform honey-brown color. Pour the caramel into the cake pan, tilting it so the caramel coats the bottom. Immediately scatter the almonds over the caramel.
• Peel and core the pears. Cut them into thin, uniform slices and arrange the slices, overlapping, in a pattern on top of the caramel and almonds.
• Cream the butter with one-half cup of sugar. Beat in the egg. Sift the flour and baking powder together and stir into the batter. Add the almond extract.
• Spread the batter over the pears in the cakepan. There will be a thin layer of batter. A spatula moistened in cold water will make spreading it easier.
• Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool for a minute or two, run a knife around the edge, then unmold onto a serving dish. If any of the topping clings to the pan, lift it off and replace it on the cake. Serve the cake while still warm with whipped cream.

SPICED PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Pour melted butter into a 9-in. square baking pan; sprinkle with nuts and brown sugar. Arrange pears over nuts., In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Spread batter over pears. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

PEAR SPICE BUNDT CAKE WITH WALNUT PRALINE TOPPING

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.