Pear Walnut Cake

For cupcakes, prepare same cake batter. Fill paper baking cups ⅔ full. Bake for 30 minutes. Top each with walnut or pecan half if desired.

Ingredients

• Pear Walnut Cake
• 2 fresh Bartlett USA Pears, cored
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (pecans may be substituted)
• Broiled Maple Topping
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• ½ cup chopped nuts

Directions

For cake: Finely chop pears to equal 1 ½ cups. Cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until mixture is well blended. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda; add to mixture alternately with milk. Stir in chopped pears and nuts. Turn into greased 12 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Spread Broiled Maple Topping over warm cake. Broil 2 to 3 minutes (watching carefully) or until bubbly.

For topping: Melt butter in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in brown sugar, milk, maple syrup, flaked coconut, and chopped nuts.

yield: Makes about 1 ½ cups