Pear Walnut Cake Food

PEAR WALNUT SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the raisins in a bowl and toss them with 2 tablespoons of the flour until lightly coated (this will prevent them from sinking in the cake batter during baking).
• To make the cake: Beat the eggs and sugar in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer) until fluffy. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the vanilla and the oil. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Mix into the egg mixture. Mix in the pears and nuts, then stir in the raisins by hand, distributing them evenly in the batter. Spoon into a 10-inch tube pan and bake about 45 to 60 minutes, until springy and dry in the center. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack, then turn it out. Freeze until ready to use or just wrap and store for up to 2 days.
• To make the glaze: Stir the maple syrup and sugar together in a bowl. Glaze the cooled cake by spooning the glaze around the top of the cake and letting it drip down the sides.

PEAR AND WALNUT UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE WITH WHIPPED CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut a half-stick of butter into slices and place it and the brown sugar in the cake pan. Set the pan over a medium-high burner. Stir as the butter and sugar melt together and continue until the mixture gets pale and bubbly, swirly when stirred, and toasty brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Note: If you'd rather not make the caramel in the cake pan, you can use a large skillet instead and simply pour the caramel into the cake pan when done.)
• Arrange the pear wedges in the cake pan in an even patter. Sprinkle the walnuts evenly over the pears.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
• Place the remaining 1 1/2 sticks of butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. Beat the heck out of the butter using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer until it gets lighter in both color and consistency. Add the sugar and beat until well blended and fluffy.
• Separate the egg yolks from the whites and set the whites aside in a medium bowl. Stir the yolks into the butter mixture until completely blended (no need to beat, and then stir the vanilla. Add half the dry ingredients and stir until mixed in. Stir in the milk until completely smooth, then the rest of the dry ingredients just until fully incorporated; set aside.
• Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg whites until very fluffy. The whites should look shiny with soft peaks-stop whisking before they get dry looking. Gently but thoroughly fold the whipped whites into the batter-all the air that you just whipped in will go out of the whites if you over-mix at this point. Pour the batter over the fruit and gently smooth the top.
• Put the cake in the oven and start checking for doneness in 35 minutes: peek in, give the pan a tiny nudge, and look for jigglyness in the center. If it wobbles and looks soft and crinkled on top, gently close the door and set the timer for 5 more minutes. If it's looking set, slide the rack out and touch the top of the cake with your fingers, testing for bounce-back. If your touch leaves a dent that stays, return the cake to the oven. If it does spring back, the final test is sticking a toothpick into center of the cake. When it comes out moist, but crumb-free, it's done!
• Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert a plate on top of the pan, and carefully but quickly flip it over. Tap the bottom of the pan if the cake doesn't fall onto the plate on its own. Lift the pan away and replace any pear slices that may have stuck there.
• When ready to serve, combine all the ingredients for the whipped crème fraîche in a large bowl; whip until thick and fluffy, but still soft.
• Slice the cake and serve each wedge with a dollop of whipped crème fraîche.

WARM PEAR AND WALNUT CAKE WITH LEMON CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Whisk sugar and egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Bring half and half and lemon peel to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot half and half mixture into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain custard into bowl; discard solids. Whisk lemon juice and vanilla into custard. Chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Make topping:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Stir sugar and water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 10 minutes. Pour caramel over bottom of prepared pan. Overlap pears atop caramel.
• Make cake:
• Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs and lemon peel; beat until light and fluffy. Combine milk and brandy in small bowl. Mix dry ingredients into batter alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each. Stir in nuts.
• Pour batter atop pears in pan. Bake cake until golden on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run small knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Place platter over cake and invert onto platter. Let stand 1 minute. Remove pan. Serve cake warm with cold sauce.

WALNUT PEAR COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Place flour in a small bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4 cup of nut mixture; set aside for topping. Set aside remaining nut mixture for filling., In a small bowl, toss pears with lemon juice; set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. , Spread two-thirds of the batter into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Top with the reserved nut mixture, pears and remaining batter. Sprinkle with walnuts and reserved topping mixture. , Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool for 1 hour before cutting.

WALNUT-PEAR SOUR CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• In another bowl, add 1/3 cup flour.
• Cut in butter with pastry blender until the consistancy of coarse crumbs.
• Add 3/4 cup of the walnut mixture and stir to combine.
• Set walnut mixture and crumb mixture aside.
• In a bowl, toss pears with lemon juice; set aside.
• In another bowl mix together 1 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In yet another bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter on medium speed of an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
• Beat in sugar and vanilla.
• Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition until well mixed.
• Alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream to egg mixture.
• Beat on low speed after each addition until combined.
• Spread two-thirds of batter into a greased 9-inch springform pan.
• Sprinkle with reserved walnut mixture.
• Layer pears evenly over walnut mixture.
• Spread remaining batter over pears.
• Sprinkle with crumb mixture.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with 1/2 cup walnuts.
• Bake 45-50 minutes longer or until tests done.
• Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Run a knife around the sides of the pan.
• Remove side of springform pan.
• Cool for 1 hour.

UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 375 degrees.
• Prepare a 9-inch cast-iron skillet.
• In a bowl, combine together the flour and the next 7 ingredients (flour through cloves).
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, 1/4 cup butter and molasses; add to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth.
• In a cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter.
• Stir in 1/3 cup brown sugar; cook over medium heat 1 minute.
• Remove from heat; sprinkle with walnuts.
• Place the pear slices in the bottom of the skillet.
• Pour the batter over the pears; bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake tests done.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack; invert the cake onto a serving plate.
• Serve warm, or at room temperature.