by Gabi Moskowitz
Prep Time 0:30
Cook Time 0:35
This cake is sophisticated enough to end a dinner party (maybe with a scoop of maple ice cream on the side), but simple enough to throw together for an afternoon snack (OK, an afternoon snack for a small crowd). The molasses cream cheese frosting is a nice deviation from the typical vanilla and complements the pears and spices perfectly.
Note: soy or almond milk would work well in this recipe in place of the regular milk.
- Ingredients
- 6 Comice or Bosc pears, peeled and chopped $3
- 1/2 cup sugar Pantry
- 1/2 cup brown sugar Pantry
- 1 1/2 cups flour Pantry
- 1 tsp baking soda Pantry
- 1/2 tsp salt Pantry
- 1 tsp cinnamon $1.50 for 1 oz.
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg $1.50 for 1 oz.
- 1 egg $1.50 for 6
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil Pantry
- 3/4 cup milk $1.50 for a pint
- 1 tbsp molasses $3 for 10 oz.
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar $1.50 for 16 oz.
- 1 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature $1
- 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature $1.50 for 8 oz.
Total Cost of Ingredients $16
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Unwrap the butter and set aside. Use the butter wrapper to grease an 8” pie or cake pan. Discard wrapper.
Combine pears, regular sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir well and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well.
Whisk in egg, oil and milk until batter is smooth. Stir in pears and sugars until fully incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pie or cake pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely.
While cake bakes, make the icing. Combine the butter and cream cheese in a food processor or with an electric hand mixer. Slowly add powdered sugar until fluffy. Drizzle in the molasses and continue mixing until the icing is a very pale brown color. Use a spatula to scrape prepared icing into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Ice the top (and sides if you wish) of the cake and serve in wedges. Perfect with coffee or tea.
Serves 8.
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What They're Saying
dining set, on Sep 29, 06:19 PM, wrote:
It looks like all the ingredients are affordable! haha Having a hard time making some good desserts for my family! ..costs too much! Thanks for sharing!
Tish, on Jul 5, 10:11 AM, wrote:
I have held on to this recipe for a long time and pulled it out yesterday to make. OMG why did I wait so long! It is now one of my go to cake deserts! Thanks
lisa, on Oct 30, 01:13 PM, wrote:
One stick of butter is a half cup. I am confused as the list of ingredients calls for a stick of butter and then say 1/4 cup in parenthesis next to this. Which is it?