Spiced Pear Streusel Cake

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This Spiced Pear Streusel Cake isn’t one of those “whip it up in 20 minutes” recipes. But trust me, the end result is worth every minute. This cake is the perfect fall treat, and it can double as a stunning centerpiece on your Thanksgiving table. Plus, with four steps and four different spices, it’s practically a fall flavor parade in every bite!

Four steps to this Spiced Pear Streusel Cake!

Step 1: Make a Spiced Simple Syrup

First up, you create a spiced simple syrup. Think of this as the cake’s flavor base. Pear juice mingles with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger, creating a syrup that smells like pure autumn. Your kitchen will be a fall wonderland, and you’ll probably want to bottle this stuff and wear it as perfume. But don’t. You’ll need it for the cake.

Step 2: Create the Spiced Streusel Topping

Next, you whip up a spiced topping for this Spiced Pear Streusel Cake. This is the crunchy, crumbly crown of your cake. Butter, sugar, flour, and, of course, those four fabulous spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger—all come together to create a topping that’s both crispy and flavorful. It’s like the crunchy leaves underfoot, but tactile.

Step 3: Spice those Pears and Fold Them into a Spiced Cake Batter

Now for the magic. You boil your pears in that spiced syrup from step one, letting them soak up all those delicious flavors. Then, fold those juicy, spiced pears into a luscious cake batter that’s been kissed with—you guessed it—cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger. The batter wraps around the pears like a cozy sweater, ready for the oven. The batter may be a bit stiff to work with at first. So fold the pears gently and slowly.

Step 4: Create a Spiced Glaze

Finally, the pièce de résistance: the spiced glaze. You whisk a few tablespoons of that pear-spiced liquid with powdered sugar, creating a drizzle that’s the icing on the cake—literally.

So impress your guests this fall with this Spiced Pear Streusel Cake. To save time, make the simple syrup and the streusel the day before. Also, you can boil the pears in the syrup beforehand. Refrigerate everything and you will have a big jump start on creating the cake.

Spiced Pear Streusel Cake

Cooking Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

For the Spiced Simple Syrup:

• 1/4
  teaspoon
  cinnamon
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  clove
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  nutmeg
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  ginger
• 1/2
  cup
  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2
  cup
  water

For the Spiced Streusel:

• 1/4
  teaspoon
  cinnamon
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  clove
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  nutmeg
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  ginger
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  salt
• 1
  cup
  all-purpose flour
• 1/3
  cup
  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 6
  tablespoons
  unsalted butter
  cut into pieces

For the Spice Cake:

• 1.5
  lbs
  pears
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  cinnamon
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  clove
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  nutmeg
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  ginger
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  salt
• 2+1/4
  cups
  all-purpose flour
• 1/2
  teaspoon
  salt
• 4
  teaspoons
  baking powder
• 1
  cup
  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1
  cup
  unsalted butter
  room temperature
• 4
  eggs
• 1
  teaspoon
  pure vanilla extract

For the icing:

• 1
  cup
  powdered sugar
• 3
  tablespoons
  of the reserved pear liquid
  see below

Instructions

Spiced Simple Syrup:

1. Whisk together spices.
2. Place all ingredients in a saucepan.
3. Cook, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Remove from heat and let cool.

Spiced Streusel:

1. Whisk together the spices and salt then whisk the mixture into the flour.
2. Add the sugar and butter.
3. Combine the ingredients until streusel forms.
4. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator.

Spice Cake:

1. Peel and core the pears, and slice them into pieces.
2. In a pot whisk together 1 cup water and 1 cup spice simple syrup*.
3. Add the pear pieces, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Set aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F.
6. Grease and flour a 9” inch springform pan.
7. Whisk together the spices.
8. Whisk in the rest of the dry ingredients.
9. Cream together the sugar and butter.
10. Add the eggs one at a time. Make sure each is fully incorporated into the batter before adding the next.
11. Beat in the vanilla.
12. Add the dry ingredients in thirds.
13. Drain* the pears reserving 3 tablespoons of the liquid for the glaze.
14. Pat off the excess liquid and gently fold the spiced pears into the batter.
15. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.
16. Scatter the sprinkles over the top.
17. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
18. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
19. D-pan the cake. Transfer to a wire cooling rack positioned over a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Spicy Icing:

1. When the cake has cooled completely, whisk together the powdered sugar and the reserved liquid from the pears.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.
3. When the glaze has hardened, transfer the cake to a serving place.
4. Cut and serve.

Recipe Notes

Save the liquid from the pears and the rest of the simple syrup. Combine it before storing it if you like. The liquid is great to add to cocktails, hot chocolate, or over ice cream.

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