Whole Wheat Pumpkin-Pear Cake with Ginger-Cream Cheese Frosting

Categories: April2013, Cake, Desserts, Healthy, Pear, Pumpkin

Ingredients

• 2 medium firm-ripe pears, such as D'Anjou, peeled, cored, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons ginger syrup*
• 1 1/2 cups Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick), unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (a little less than half a can if using canned. you can freeze the remaining puree for future use)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup diced crystallized ginger
• Frosting:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons ginger syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• Optional garnish:
• 1/4 cup diced crystallized ginger
• Optional fruit accompaniment (who doesn't like an optional fruit accompaniment? it almost offsets cream cheese frosting.):
• 1 medium firm-ripe pear, peeled, cored, sliced in half lengthwise, then halves sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup ginger syrup
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the pears and 2 tablespoons of ginger syrup.

3. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, cream the sugars and butter, then add the pumpkin puree and mix until it’s fully incorporated. Add the eggs, and mix until they are just incorporated into the sugar mixture.

5. Pour the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture, and mix together well. Stir in the pears, ginger syrup, and the 1/3rd cup of diced crystallized ginger.

6. Spoon the batter into the springform pan, then level it out.

7. Bake the cake until it is dark brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes.

8. If the edges of the cake start to brown too much, cover the edges of the cake with aluminum foil.

9. Remove the cake from the oven, and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting. Before removing the springform, run a knife around the edge of the cake to insure that it doesn’t stick.

10. To make the frosting, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sugar, ginger syrup, and ground ginger until they become a light, fluffy frosting. This should take 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed if using a stand mixer.

11. Once the cake has cooled completely, spoon the frosting onto the cake, and spread it across the top of the cake. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of diced crystallized ginger over top of the frosting.

12. In a small saucepan, bring the water and syrup to a boil. Add the pear slices, stir to be sure they’re submerged, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover, cooking until the pears are translucent and easily pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes.

13. Poached pears may be made a day ahead, and they and their liquid stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

14. *ginger syrup is available in many grocery stores, online, or you could make your own.

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