Spiced Pear Cake with Vanilla Glaze

Last weekend I got to spend time with Melissa in Madison.  We didn't realize there was a Badgers game in town, so we quickly found a cute restaurant to have lunch in and escape the crowds of red and white face-painted football fans.  Once things died down we toodled around State Street checking out the free contemporary art museum (which was AMAZING--free art museum?!?  What a treat!) and the cool shops especially the kitchen store.

Before we left Melissa, who works for Taste of Home, loaded me up with old Taste of Home magazines and a cook-book too.  I raced (I mean drove the speed-limit) home to browse the magazines.  I tore out many recipes to add to my recipe binder and started baking with this delightful fall cake.

Spiced Pear Cake with Vanilla Glaze

based on Spiced Pear Upside-Down Cake from Taste of Home

2 pears, peeled and thinly sliced

½ cup butter, melted

½ cup sugar

½ cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup molasses

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line the bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper.  Grease the sides of the pan.

Fan the pear slices in a circle around the bottom of the pan, filling in the middle and any gaps, to make an even layer. 

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the butter, sugar, yogurt, molasses, egg, and vanilla.  Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and slowly whisk in until no lumps remain.  Pour over the pears and spread to the sides of the pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack then run a knife around the edges of the pan and flip it onto a plate.  Peel off the parchment paper. 

Vanilla Glaze

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 Tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla 
¾ cup powdered sugar

Whisk all ingredients together and drizzle over the cake.