Serves 8 to 12
THE CLASSIC fall flavors of pear and cardamom will transport you to crisp nights by a fire. I bake this cake when that urge to turn on the heat and cuddle up kicks in. The taste will transport you, but I have to admit that it’s the orange glaze that takes the cake to the next level. You’ll be licking your fingers (and the spoon)—I promise. Serve with a warm cup of chamomile tea with honey for even more cozy deliciousness.
There are only a couple of recipes in this book that call for powdered sugar. This is a refined product, even when organic, but it is the perfect ingredient for a glaze, so I figured out how to make my own using tapioca starch and organic evaporated cane juice (see here). However, if you definitely want to avoid all cane sugar, you could substitute raw honey for the powdered sugar when making the glaze. It won’t be quite the same, but it will still taste good.
Note that you can also make this recipe in 4 mini Bundt pans for individual portions—just remember to check for doneness after 20 minutes.
1 tablespoon palm shortening, nondairy butter (such as Earth Balance), or coconut oil, for the pan
2 cups Jennifer’s Way Bakery All-Purpose Flour Mix (purchased or here)
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 cup fresh, very ripe pears, cored and cut into pieces (peeling is optional)
½ cup maple sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, or evaporated cane juice
⅓ cup grape seed oil
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ teaspoon ground vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract)
¾ cup full-fat canned coconut milk (or nondairy milk of choice)
Juice of ½ orange
¼ cup Homemade Powdered Sugar (recipe follows)
Pinch of ground or freshly grated nutmeg
Sliced pear, for garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven 350°F. Grease a standard Bundt pan with the palm shortening.
Combine all the dry ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl. Break up any lumps with a whisk.
In a separate bowl, mash the pears (keeping the juice in the bowl) and add the sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Mix with a hand mixer on medium speed or transfer to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix until just combined. A little at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with the coconut milk and ending with the dry mix. Continue mixing until thoroughly combined.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, checking frequently after 30 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center. Let cool.
To make the glaze, combine the orange juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl and whisk together until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake, garnish with nutmeg and sliced pear if you like, and enjoy!