Ingredients
3
cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 1/4
teaspoons baking soda
1/2
teaspoon salt
2
teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
5
ripe pears
3/4
cup vegetable oil
2
cups granulated sugar
3
eggs
1
teaspoon vanilla
1/4
cup butter
1/2
cup packed brown sugar
1/4
teaspoon salt
1/3
cup whipping cream
1
cup powdered sugar
Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening or cooking spray; light flour.
Peel, core and chop 2 of the pears; place in blender. Cover; puree until smooth. Measure 1/2 cup of the puree. Reserve remaining puree for another use.
In small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup pear puree, the oil and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined.
Peel, core and chop remaining 3 pears. Fold chopped pears into cake batter. Pour into pan.
Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Place cooling rack upside down over pan; turn rack and pan over. Remove pan. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
To make icing, in 2-quart saucepan, cook butter, brown sugar, salt and cream over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. With whisk, beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Immediately pour over cooled cake.
