Fresh Pear, Ginger & Spice Cake with Lemon & Honey Brown Butter Glaze (Bundt)
This cake is our fall favorite! It is moist, flavorful and unusual. The directions below are for either cupcakes or a Bundt cake. The video demonstrates the cupcakes. After shooting the video, I decided to increase the oil and sugar slightly, to make it even moister, and increased the glaze by half again, as it needed just a bit more! This great on a brunch buffet, or as dessert. We love versatile! Be sure to use dead-ripe pears, locally-grown and tree-ripened are always the best!
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, lightly-beaten
3 cups peeled and finely chopped Bartlett pears
1 1/2 Tablespoons freshly-grated ginger (may use jarred ginger paste, reduce to 1 Tablespoon)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour cupcake pans, or Bundt pan if making a large cake.
Whisk together baking soda, salt, and spices together in a bowl.
Put oil and sugar into bowl of stand mixer and mix until creamy. Add eggs and mix until well-combined. Add dry ingredients, a little at a time, until just combined. Add pears and ginger, then beat (at medium speed) until the batter thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes. Fold in the pecans by hand with a rubber spatula. Scoop batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, 15-20 minutes (check after 10 minutes, rotating pan if needed). Run a knife or spatula around each cupcake, then let sit for 4 minutes before turning out onto a rack. Bake the Bundt cake bake 45-55 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean, then cool in pan for 20 minutes before turning out.
Place cupcakes on a cooling rack over parchment or wax paper. Cover Bundt cake with a cake plate, flip over and allow to release from the pan. Allow the cake or cupcakes to cool just slightly. Pour Lemon & Honey Brown Butter Glaze evenly over the cake or cupcakes. Serve warm, or cool completely and store in a glass or plastic storage container.
Lemon & Honey Brown Butter Glaze:
6 Tablespoons (3 ounces ) unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Place butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until brown. Watch carefully, as it can go from light brown to smoke in an instant. Pour into a mixing bowl, leaving the browned bits in the saucepan.
Cool slightly, then add the lemon juice, honey and vanilla and mix well. Add the confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. (If glaze is too thick to pour over warm cake or cupcakes, add a few drops of milk until it is "pour-able").
