Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• Flour, for pan
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and grated
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste (recommended: Nielsen-Massey)
• 2 tablespoons candied ginger puree (recommended: Royal Pacific)
• 1/2 cup pear brandy, divided
• Pear preserves, heated and strained, for garnish
• Chocolate Glaze, recipe follows
• Marzipan pears with candied ginger leaves, for garnish, optional
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 4 ounces dark chocolate (recommended: Guittard)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Browse by ingredient

Instructions

1. Grease and flour an 8-cup tube pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated. Slowly stir in flour, being careful not to over-beat. Add pears, vanilla bean paste, candied ginger puree, and 1/4 cup pear brandy; mix well. Transfer to prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then unmold onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. Douse with another 1/4 cup pear brandy then glaze with warmed pear preserves. Let pear glaze set. Pour Chocolate Glaze over. When set, remove cake from cooling rack and place it on a serving plate. Garnish with marzipan pears with candied ginger leaves, if desired.
3. Heat sugar and corn syrup together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add chocolate and remove from heat. Stir in butter gradually, and then add confectioner's sugar. Cool slightly and pour over cake.