Spiced Pear Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar & Oat Streusel Recipe

We finally picked the rest of the pears off of our prolific Charlie Brown pear tree. Its little branches have finally sprung back up to their pre-fruit bearing days and it seemed to breathe an audible sigh of relief as we picked the last pear.  After indulging in my Pear, Blueberry and Ginger Cobbler recipe, eating many pears down to the core, and making plans to cook some apple and pear butter, I figured our pears could make one last incarnation before the season was over. What fruit doesn't love being spiced up with some cloves and nutmeg, sweetened with some streusel, and baked in a moist, tender cake? That's a rhetorical question. Coffee cake is perfect as part of Sunday brunch, with an early morning cup of coffee or tea, or as an afternoon treat.

Making the streusel:

In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar,


3/4 cup rolled oats,


and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.


Cut 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled butter into 1/2-inch pieces and cut into the brown sugar mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingers. I always start off using a pastry cutter, with some misplaced good intention of keeping my hands clean. It usually takes me about 10 seconds to realize that using my fingers is so much more fun.


When the mixture resembles coarse meal, set it aside.


Making the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg.



Combine 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter and 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl, and blend with a mixer until fluffy.


Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.


Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.


Fold in the flour mixture alternately with 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (I used 2%, but whole milk yogurt would work well, too), beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not overmix.



Coat a 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly with cooking spray (or grease with butter or shortening). Cut one pear into 1/2-inch pieces. Spoon in 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with 1/2 of the streusel mixture and 1/2 of the pear pieces.


Spoon in half of the remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel and pear pieces. Spoon in the rest of the batter and spread evenly over the streusel. Don't be alarmed - the batter is rather thick. I had to double-check my ingredients list the first time I made this to make sure I hadn't missed some sort of liquid.

Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Cool on a rack.


Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Using a sieve, sprinkle over about 1/4 cup powdered sugar. You don't have to do this step, but it really looks pretty. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Other pear cakes:

Chocolate & Zucchini's Grandmother's Pear Cake

Zoe Bakes' Caramel Apple & Pear Cake

Baking & Books' Upside Down Cardamom Pear Cake

Spiced Pear Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar & Oat Streusel
Adapted from an epicurious.com recipe

Streusel:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp ground cloves
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) chilled butter

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 Bartlett pear, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Making the streusel:
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, rolled oats, and ground cloves.  Whisk together.  Cut 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled butter into 1/2-inch pieces and cut into the brown sugar mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingers.  When the mixture resembles coarse meal, set it aside.

Making the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.  

Combine 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter and 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar in a separate large bowl, and blend with a mixer until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Mix in vanilla extract.

Fold in the flour mixture alternately with plain yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not overmix.

Coat a 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly with cooking spray (or grease with butter or shortening). Spoon in 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with 1/2 of the streusel mixture and 1/2 of the pear pieces.  Spoon in half of the remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel and pear pieces. Spoon in the rest of the batter and spread evenly over the streusel.

Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Cool on a rack.  Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Using a sieve, sprinkle over about 1/4 cup powdered sugar.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Printable recipe

Related Site

-Free Food Recipes Online

-Food and Drink Magazine

Related Videos :below I show related videos and not so related to this article.

Title: Hendrik Beune of AHA MEDIA tries AHA MEDIA's Spiced Pear Pie in Vancouver DTES.mp4

In this video, Hendrik Beune of AHA MEDIA tries AHA MEDIA's Spiced Pear Pie in Vancouver Downtown Eastside
(DTES)

AHA MEDIA is learning how to bake sweet treats while in their new space in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera - Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

AHA MEDIA is at http://www.AHAMEDIA.CA

Please follow April Smith on Twitter and Facebook
http://www.twitter.com/AprilFilms
http://www.facebook.com/AprilFilms

Please follow AHA MEDIA on Twitter and Facebook
http://www.twitter.com/AHAMEDIA
http://www.facebook.com/AHAMEDIA

Title: HUGE Candles By Victoria Review

(On my nails is Sally Hansen Hi Def)

www.candlesbyvictoria.com

See all the tart melters in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An-4QGcglQ4

www.twitter.com/xbrookecorex

All scents I got, for reference:
Smores Galore
Fluffernutter Create a Candle
Caramelized Pralines
Reeses Peanut Butter Delight
Rose
Raspberry Rainbow
Apricot Crumb Cake
Strawberry Kiwi
Breakfast in Vermont
Chocolate Orange
Passion Fruit
Fudge Brownie
Viva La Juicy
Crackling Birch
Morning in Madrid
DKNY Delicious
Hawaiian Splash
Mango Peach Salsa
Texas Summer
Elvis
Best Friends
Storm Watch
Bahama Mama
Spiced Pear
Apple Jack and Peel
Banana