img_0554_21

Here’s what passed through my brain as I typed up the title:

Thought# 1: Is it too redundant to have ‘ginger’ and ‘spice’ in the title?

Thought #2: Ginger. Spice. Was that one of the Spice Girls?

Thought #3: I think there was a redhead. British. Red hair. Ginger . . . Ginger Spice.

Thought #4: That would be so cool to have red hair.

Thought #5: That would be so cool to be British.

img_0496_2

This is completely an autumn cake. Serve it after a good chili dinner, and wear a sweater, or . . . fuzzy slippers or something. Pears are still in season, and anything loaded up with cinnamon and ginger fits into the autumn category as far as I’m concerned. And did I mention the maple glaze? Well, see, it’s got maple glaze. That’s autumn.

Just a word about this cake. It doesn’t taste like pear. It doesn’t taste like pear any more than zucchini bread tastes like zucchini. The pear adds lots of moisture, but it’s sort of a shy fruit, and bakes down to, well, not much. In the end, it’s the spices that really come out.

It’s completely delicious. And insanely moist. And beyond sweet. But then, you were looking for cake, weren’t you?

img_0556

Pear Ginger Spice Cake

adapted from Taste of Home Baking Book

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1-1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups finely chopped, peeled fresh pears (about 3 medium)

for glaze:

1/1-2 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 10-inch bundt pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugars, oil, and vanilla until thoroughly incorporated. Combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add to egg mixture and mix just until combined. Fold in the chopped pears. The batter will be very thick.

Spoon the batter into the bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes on a rack before inverting onto a serving plate.

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and maple flavoring, and mix until smooth. Drizzle or brush over warm cake and cool completely before slicing.