I have been waiting patiently (sort of) for the time when fruit will be abundant and fresh from farm stands and markets. As I shop the produce aisle of our local grocery store, I realize with every pass that almost everything either came from thousands of miles away or from a crate somewhere in storage at an orchard. In the spirit of making do with what I have available right this moment, I decided to make my glazed pear and yogurt cake. I came up with this delicious cake recipe last year and have made it several times over the seasons. It is moist and dense and delicious: everything I wish for in a cake.
Ingredients
For the Cake
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick of melted butter, cooled
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tbsp vanilla
3/4 cup of plain yogurt
2 pears
Glaze
2 cups of powdered sugar
2 to 4 tbsp of water
Directions
Dice up the pears (skin and all) and set them aside.
Add the milk, sugar, and two eggs to the melted butter, whisk until the sugar dissolves.
Whisk in the flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Whisk until it is a smooth batter.
Whisk in the yogurt.
Fold in the diced pears.
Pour the entire mixture into a lightly oiled baking dish. I used an 8 x 10 inch dish.
Bake the cake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until the top gets golden brown and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Whisk the glaze ingredients together, adding water as needed to make a thin consistency. Pour the glaze over the top while it is still a bit warm and let rest. The glaze will be absorbed by the cake like a sponge and make it that much moister.
This cake is universal. It would serve beautifully as a breakfast or brunch cake, topped with a scoop of honey-sweetened yogurt. It would also serve nicely as a dessert with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream after a filling dinner with family.
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Julia Daby is a Registered Nurse who lives happily with her husband and little boy in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. She enjoys crafts of all kinds, eating good food, reading, and being outdoors. Most important of all….she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She has a small store on etsy and she writes about life, family and creativity at Happiness Comes and We Deserve This.