Happy New Year!

 

So what happened to December? It’s like one day I woke up and it was gone. It’s still a mystery to me. Anyway, here I am in January and I have all kinds of resolutions and changes I’m going make so my life will be better. It’s also the month I turned 63. Somehow I never really imagined I’d be this old but let me tell you “It’s not pretty!” Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t have any expectations but on the other hand I never quite thought it would be like this. I think I’ve figured out why your vision starts to fade as you get older. Things don’t look as bad if they’re blurry! Enough of my problems.  

So last month was a month of baking. I baked cookies, I baked pies, I baked bundt cakes and then I baked more cookies.  So here’s a recipe for a really good pear cake. I’ve made it a bunch of times and it always turns out great. The real trick is to allow the pears to set overnight with the sugar. Do not skip this step. The next time I make it I am going to reduce the oil in the recipe to see if that works. Somehow I feel so guilty about a cup of vegetable oil. Ah, the guilt! I wish I felt it more often so maybe I could lose weight. Oh well, maybe I’ll go bake something to get my mind off it!  

 

Cherry-Spiced Pear Cake  

3 cups chopped ripe pears

1 cup dried cherries or blueberries or cranberries

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

2 eggs

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

Walnuts and coconut, for garnish, optional

1. Mix pears, cherries and sugar in a large bowl and refrigerate overnight.

2. The next day, add oil, eggs and stir well.
3. Add dry ingredients. Mix well and then fold in coconut, nuts and vanilla.
4. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour in a greased bundt pan

 

Ginger Chutney glaze and Cinnamon Whipped Cream frosting

Frosting:

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Whip heavy cream in medium bowl. Gradually add sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Frost cooled cake. Garnish with coconut and walnuts. 

Chutney glaze: Combine ½ cup ginger chutney and ½ cup cherries. Add 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar and heat over low heat for 2 minutes. Serve with Bundt cake.  

My mother found this recipe many years ago in an old church cookbook. The recipe is very basic and I’ve made many of my own changes. Throughout the years it has become one of my favorites. The great thing about the recipe is that it can be adapted to suit any taste by simply changing the dried fruit. In this version, the subtle pear flavor complements the sweet tartness of the cherries and allows the spices to celebrate the earthy aromas of fall.