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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dessert / MaryJane’s Crackly Pear Cake

MaryJane’s Crackly Pear Cake

September 8, 2011 By: Dana5 Comments

Every recipe posted to hotpinkapron.com has been blessed by my personal vote of confidence. Some have taken months to perfect before posting and others are remarkable from the first sift.  Once and awhile I discover a recipe that really excites me to share; one that meets all criteria in taste, simplicity, interest and it showcases a local ingredient that is currently in-season.  This Pear Cake is one of these recipes.  I cannot wait to read all of the positive feedback that is bound to come from this cake.  It’s simple to make and has a mature (pear meets almond) coffee cake taste and texture that is just perfect for tea, dessert or “just because” snacking.

The moist cake, with juicy bursts of pear fruit, is perfectly sandwiched between the buttery crunch of the bottom layer and the crisp meringue on the top.  I last made this cake for a dinner with my mom when we were visiting the cottage last week.  Working in a kitchen with only the bare essentials, the cake turned out so good that my mother, the woman who claims not to like “sweet stuff” ate the entire cake.  That’s right, ladies of the Haliburton Veterinary Clinic, I gave mom a cake to share with you all and she ate it!  Not to worry though, Bartlett Pears are in season until the end of October in Ontario and Bosc Pears all the way through December and I’ll certainly be making this one many more times.

‘Pear’fect cottage dining 🙂

This original recipe is from an American organic farmer in Idaho, named MaryJane Butters, and published in Where Women Cook spring 2011 edition.   If you’re tired of Martha Stewart’s creepy corporate smile and Rachel Ray’s constant self-made abbreviations, try Where Women Cook – The Heart & Soul of Cooking magazine.  You can find it in the Food/Cooking section of most major magazine vendors and I highly recommend it for the seasonal food recipes and genuine celebration of female chefs, farmers, writers and food lovers alike.

Enjoy your Pear Cake! xo

 

MaryJane’s Crackly Pear Cake
Published by Where Women Cook spring 2011
Serves 12

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into small pieces
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • Zest of 1 large lemon (1 Tbsp.)
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 2 cups pears (peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 1 large egg white
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar

Local pears available now to the end of October in most farmer’s markets.

Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Using a pastry blender or fork, blend 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, and salt until crumbly. Press 1 cup mixture over bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the springform pan.

Whisk together milk, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons flour, lemon zest, baking powder, and almond. Stir remaining crumb mixture into milk mixture until blended (will still be lumpy). Fold in pears. Pour into springform pan.

Beat egg white with electric mixer on medium to high speed until foamy. Add 2 tablespoons sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Spread over batter.

Bake in a 350° oven 65 minutes. Cool 30 minutes on a wire rack. Remove sides of springform pan; finish cooling. Makes one 9-inch cake (12 servings).

*Note: Don’t fret over the dark brown colour of the meringue, this is good.  Be sure to check that the centre of the cake is cooked by sliding a toothpick out clean before removing from oven.

 

Check out the classic egg beater I found in a cottage drawer. This handy tool turned egg whites into fluffy meringue in mere minutes. They just don’t make them like they use to.

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Comments

  1. Stephanie says

    September 12, 2011 at 12:36 pm

    Can’t wait to try this! One question, though- all that lemon zest didn’t totally take over the other flavors?

    Reply
    • Dana says

      September 13, 2011 at 12:47 pm

      Not at all. The really dominate flavour is the almond extract with the pear. Together those create a soul-satisfying crunch, the lemon is a subtle hint of freshness to bring it all together. Let me know what you think, I adore this cake!

      Reply
  2. Cheryl says

    September 15, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    My neighbour has a pear tree in his backyard so I have to make this cake,or maybe two, one for the neighbour and one for work. Yummy!!

    Reply
  3. Stephanie says

    September 17, 2011 at 8:55 pm

    ok. I made it today. And I LOVE IT NOW TOO!!! 😀
    1) You were right, the lemon zest doesn’t take over at all and only brightens the flavors. The almond is definitely the dominant flavor on top of the pear.
    2) The texture is so unique and I think that might be what really has me hooked. I just ate 4 slices. I couldn’t stop! ok So don’t think I’m crazy. I ate one slice plain. Then the next two with some thin slices of aged Gouda. Then the last with cinnamon sugar sprinkled over the side. I think I might add some cinnamon to the batter next time I make it! It’s so good without it too though. And maybe better without cinnamon if you’re bringing it somewhere just in case there’s someone who doesn’t care for cinnamon. Ok now I’m rambling.
    3) For some reason it took almost an hour and a half to bake.
    4) The meringue on top is AMAZING. I now want to add a meringue top to every cake I make for the rest of my life.
    All in all I’m so glad I found your blog and this recipe and made it and love it and will add it to my repertoire…the end 🙂 Thanks so much!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Q & Apple.. Upside Down Cake | Hot Pink Apron says:
    October 16, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    […] comments and our future foodie fun together.  I hope you enjoy this apple cake as much as the Crackly Pear Cake.  Cooking the apples in butter and brown sugar before adding the cake batter creates a soft, rich […]

    Reply

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