The pear cake that I’d originally planned to use just didn’t turn out very well.  So I turned  to this recipe from Grandma that’s saved me in the past.

This cake turned out great!  It’s lightly spiced with the cardamom, and is moist and tender from the pear.  It’s a great light cake that would go perfectly with some tea or coffee.  It’s definitely a winning combination.

Cardamom-Spiced Pear Cake

Serves 12-16

• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 large pear, cored and grated (leave skin on, about 1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 9×13″ pan with parchment paper or grease with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.  Stir in the grated pear.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Garnish with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, if desired.