PEAR BRUNCH CAKE

PEAR BRUNCH CAKE

One of the easiest holiday gatherings to throw is a festive brunch. And it’s even easier when you have a great brunch cake recipe in your repertoire.

This tender coffee cake brings together the delicious fruitiness of fresh pears with the warmth of cinnamon, the sweetness of almond, and the delicious crunch of a buttery streusel topping. This is a treat that will have your guests begging for seconds, and asking you for the recipe.

Pear Brunch Cake
By Lori & Paul
Makes 2 8-inch cakes

Ingredients:

Streusel:
¾ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold butter, diced
½ cup sliced almonds

Cake:
Butter, for preparing your pans
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
2 ripe pears, cored and diced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter two 8-inch round baking pans and set aside.

First, make the streusel. Mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small to medium clumps form. Mix in sliced almonds. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the cake batter, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, extract and egg, stirring until just combined. Do not over mix.

Pour batter into prepared baking pans. Sprinkle half of the pears over the top of each cake, pressing them into the cake slightly. Top each cake with half of the streusel mixture.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean.