Autumn in Every Bite: Spiced Pear and Pecan Cake

This spiced pear and pecan cake is a celebration of fall flavors. It’s packed with juicy pears, crunchy pecans, and a blend of warming spices, making it the perfect dessert to cozy up with. Plus, it’s incredibly moist and comes together easily, thanks to the simple instructions. I promise, after trying this recipe, you’ll be reaching for another slice in no time!

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 50 minutes Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (115g) ground pecans, divided (plus an extra 4 tbsp for topping and batter)
• 1 ½ cups (160g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (50g) rye flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup (70g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (120ml) maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (14.5oz) can sliced pears, drained and mashed
• 2 small pears, cored, halved, and thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground pecans (1 cup), flours, baking soda, spices, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the maple syrup and vanilla extract.
4. Add the mashed pears to the wet ingredients and mix well.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three batches, stirring just until combined. Fold in 2 tablespoons of ground pecans.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Top with the sliced pears and the remaining 2 tablespoons of ground pecans.
7. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

To grind the pecans: Pulse them in a food processor in short bursts until you reach your desired consistency, taking care not to overwork them.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Nutritional information per serving (approximate):

• Calories: 400
• Fat: 20g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Sugar: 30g
• Sodium: 200mg