Ginger-Pear Bundt Cake #BundtaMonth

Welcome to November! This month’s bundt-baking-get-together, hosted by Baker Street and Cake Duchess has the theme of SPICE.  When I came across this recipe for a pear-spice bundt cake by Martha Stewart, I knew I was ready to start baking! The recipe was based on a caramel-pear sauce that was made with fresh pears and sugar then it was incorporated into the cake batter. I was one step ahead of the game as I had a ginger-pear sauce that I made with this great recipe. I changed the spices slightly but basically stuck with the cake recipe and then finished with a cream cheese icing. The cake was dense but in a good way, filled with bits of pear and hints of ginger then cooled with the cream cheese frosting. This would be perfect to serve on a Thanksgiving dessert buffet as an alternative to the traditional pies. You’ll find it will be requested for years to come!

Ingredients: (slightly changed from this original recipe)

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 3/4 cups packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup of pear-ginger sauce (store bought pear sauce/preserves or homemade)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare Bundt pan with cooking spray and a dusting of flour (or very fine bread crumbs).
1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, baking soda, and nutmeg with a whisk in a bowl. Set the bowl aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and honey for a few minutes then add the eggs one at a time. Now on low speed, alternate adding the flour and the milk to the batter. Once it is mixed well, turn off the mixer and fold in the pear sauce.
The batter will be thick. Spoon it into your prepared Bundt pan. Cook for 35-40 minutes, covering the top with foil around 25-30 minutes if it appears to brown too much. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a plate. Let it cool completely before adding the optional (but really tasty) icing.

Cream Cheese Icing:
8  ounces of cream cheese
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
4-6 Tablespoons of cream (milk would be fine too)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients, starting by whipping the cream cheese on its own for a few minutes. Next add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and cream (or milk). If the icing is too thick then add more milk one Tablespoon at a time.

Looking for more Bundt cake recipes? Here are a few I've enjoyed:
Pumpkin Bundt with Cream Cheese Filling
Sour Cream Coffee Bundt Cake
Sour Cream Lemon Pound Cake

You won't want to miss these beautiful Bundt cakes contributed by the rest of the Bundt-A-Month group. Join us and link up your own!

Apple Bundt Cake with an Attitude by Deb | Knitstamatic

Blueberry Cinnamon Bundt Cake by Anuradha | Baker Street

Cardamom Bundt Cake with Rosewater Glaze by Paula | Vintage Kitchen

Cinnamon Crown Bundt Cake by Renee | Magnolia Days

Ginger Pear Bundt Cake by Holly | A Baker's House

Gingerbread Apple Cake by Lora | Cake Duchess

Gram's Fig Spice Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze by Stacy | Food Lust People Love

Italian Anise Bundt Cake by Karen | In The Kitchen with KP

Maple Pecan Bundt with Maple Glaze by Jennie | The Messy Baker Blog

Mexican Chocolate Bundt Cake by Alice Choi | Hip Foodie Mom

Moroccan Inspired Olive Oil Bundt Cake with Ras El Hanout by Laura | The Spiced Life

Nutmeg Bundt Cake by Dorothy | Shockingly Delicious

Peach and Roasted Cinnamon Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Sugar by Kim | Cravings Of A Lunatic

Spiced Dark Chocolate with Cinnamon Glaze by Kate | Food Babbles

Spicy Chocolate Bourbon Bundt Cake by Carrie | Poet In The Pantry

Here’s how you can join the #BundtaMonth party:
- Bake your Bundt for November following the theme – Spice.
- Post it before November 30, 2012.
- Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title should read – #BundtaMonth: Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt)
- Add your entry to the Linky tool below
- Link back to both Lora and Anuradha's announcement posts.