A towering dessert on the holiday sideboard always gets attention. And the oohs and aahs will only get louder when you cut in to reveal its moist crumb dotted with ruby-red cranberries and topaz-colored pear. Its scent of vanilla and spices is very inviting, while the brown sugar and cinnamon glaze is, of course, the icing on the cake.
Recipe information
Total Time
4 1/4 hr
Yield
Makes 8 to 12 servings
Ingredients
For cake:
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
1
3
1
For glaze:
1
1
1
1
2
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Make cake:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter cake pan.
Step 2
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Step 3
Beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined well.
Step 4
At low speed, mix in pears and cranberries, then mix in flour mixture until incorporated.
Step 5
Spoon batter into pan.
Step 6
Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
Step 7
Cool in pan 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
Make glaze:
Step 8
Bring cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, cinnamon sticks, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, then simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Step 9
Cool glaze 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks, then pour glaze over cake, letting some drip down sides.