Pear-Walnut Cake with Honey-Orange Syrup

Becky Luigart-Stayner
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This is similar to pan d'Espanya (Spanish bread), which is what Sephardic Jews call sponge cake. Brushing the honey-orange syrup over the warm cake infuses it with moisture and delicate aromas. For a second-day treat, try toasting a leftover slice. Garnish with orange rind curls and star anise.
Yield: 18 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
Ingredients
- Cake:
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon aniseed, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups chopped peeled pear (about 3)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
-
Syrup: - 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
To prepare cake, coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with 2 tablespoons flour. Set aside.
Place sugar and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until thick and pale (about 3 minutes).
Lightly spoon 3 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, aniseed, salt, and cinnamon, stirring well with a whisk.
Combine rind, 1/2 cup juice, oil, and vanilla. Add flour mixture to egg mixture alternately with juice mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; blend after each addition just until combined. Stir in pear and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula or knife. Place a plate upside down on top of cake pan; carefully invert cake onto plate.
To prepare syrup, combine honey and 2 tablespoons juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Brush warm syrup over top and sides of cake. Cool completely.
Nutritional Information
- Calories:
- 271 (30% from fat)
- Fat:
- 8.9g (sat 0.9g,mono 4.3g,poly 2.9g)
- Protein:
- 4.1g
- Carbohydrate:
- 45.4g
- Fiber:
- 1.4g
- Cholesterol:
- 47mg
- Iron:
- 1.4mg
- Sodium:
- 176mg
- Calcium:
- 15mg




