Rev:Pear-Walnut Cake with Honey-Orange Syrup (Dec 06)

[Kathy B]

Made this cake Saturday night and let it sit overnight before cutting into it. Other than the nuts, DH liked it very much. DD and I both thought it was good, too. I especially enjoyed the combination of the anise seed with the orange and honey flavors.

The only changes I made were to sub one cup of WW pastry flour for 1 cup of the AP flour, and I had slightly less than two full cups of chopped pear (maybe 1-7/8?). I didn't have any way to crush the anise seed, so I threw it in my coffee grinder and gave it several pulses until it looked about right.

The cake appeared slightly underdone by the toothpick test at 55 minutes, so I gave it 3-5 more minutes. Probably should NOT have done that, as the center of the final product was not quite as moist as I would have expected or liked it to be. The syrup, however, kept it from being too dry in spite of my possibly overbaking it slightly. The pears probably also helped with that, but if I hadn't known there were pears in the cake, I would never have guessed. I think their role was more for moistness than flavor.

A good cake to have with a cup of tea or coffee, especially if you enjoy a flavor that is not "the same old same old!" :)

[Kathy B]

Here is the recipe:

Pear-Walnut Cake with Honey-Orange Syrup

This is similar to pan d'Espanya (Spanish bread), which is what Sephardic Jews call sponge cake. Brushing the honey-orange syrup over the warm cake infuses it with moisture and delicate aromas. For a second-day treat, try toasting a leftover slice. Garnish with orange rind curls and star anise.


CAKE:
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon aniseed, crushed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chopped peeled pear (about 3)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

SYRUP:
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 375°.
To prepare cake, coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 tablespoons flour. Set aside.
Place sugar and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until thick and pale (about 3 minutes).
Lightly spoon 3 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, aniseed, salt, and cinnamon, stirring well with a whisk.
Combine rind, 1/2 cup juice, oil, and vanilla. Add flour mixture to egg mixture alternately with juice mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; blend after each addition just until combined. Stir in pear and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula or knife. Place a plate upside down on top of cake pan; carefully invert cake onto plate.
To prepare syrup, combine honey and 2 tablespoons juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Brush warm syrup over top and sides of cake. Cool completely.

Yield: 18 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

CALORIES 271 (30% from fat); FAT 8.9g (sat 0.9g,mono 4.3g,poly 2.9g); PROTEIN 4.1g; CHOLESTEROL 47mg; CALCIUM 15mg; SODIUM 176mg; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 1.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.4g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006