Pear Cake made with seasonal pears is a true treat.  This recipe, from http://www.usapear.com was a great find and delicious as a morning coffee treat or as a seasonal dessert.

Pear cake hot from the oven

PEAR CAKE

Fresh Pears

10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 pears, peeled, cored and wedged
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a round baking pan with 2 tablespoons of butter.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.  Brush the pear wedges with lemon juice and arrange in the bottom of the baking pan.

Combine flour with baking powder, salt and cinnamon, Set aside. Using a mixer, beat the remaining butter with sugar until fluffy.  Stir in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour mixture and milk alternating the ingredients slowly.  Continue to beat on low-speed after each addition.  Spoon batter evenly over pears in pan.

Bake for 30 minutes OR until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  (My oven required a longer baking time.)

Cool before inverting onto serving platter.  Decorate with walnuts or serve with whipped cream as coffee cake or dessert.

Recipe adapted from http://www.usapears.com; Starkrimson Pear Cinnamon Cake