Pear Cranberry Cake

Gourmet/Epicurious, 2009

Makes 8 to 12 servings


CAKE:
    3 cups all-purpose flour
    1 tablespoon baking powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
    1 3/4 cups sugar
    1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
    4 large eggs
    1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
    3 Bosc pears (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
    1 cup cranberries (thawed if frozen)

GLAZE:
    1 cup heavy cream
    1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
    1 tablespoon light corn syrup
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    2 (3-inch-long) cinnamon sticks

active time: 30 min / total time: 4 1/4 hr

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.

Beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined well.

At low speed, mix in pears and cranberries, then mix in flour mixture until incorporated.

Spoon batter into pan.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Cool in pan 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.

Make glaze:
Bring cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, cinnamon sticks, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, then simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Cool glaze 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks, then pour glaze over cake, letting some drip down sides.

My Notes: Dangit, this cake was good. Moist and subtly spicy. If you use dried cranberries, soak them in hot water for about 20 minutes prior. I also added more spice than called for, but it was not overpowering. Also, my cake didn't rise as high as this lovely photo. I wonder if I sifted the flour if that would help?

MXF