I don’t care if it’s been 90+ plus degrees here in Southern California, I’m going to force that Fall feeling. Or at least I tried to with this Chocolate Pear Loaf Cake.
But somehow firing up an oven while while wearing a tank top and wiping away beads of sweat was a complete Fall-baking buzz kill.
Although it kinda started with the rotten pear; see below. Sucky. From there I had to walk back up to the store to get some more. That was a mistake. Hot, hot, hot—like the kinda hot that makes you mad you didn’t drive and realize, screw the few minuscule calories burned walking there, so you pick up a Frappuccino for the walk home to cool down.
Now mad, agitated and sweaty, there’s hell to pay from the baby, whose screaming from the blazing sun on his tiny little toes, you know when the awning on the stroller doesn’t quite reach far enough. Let’s chalk that one up to poor design rather than poor decision making from mom.
The buzz kill at this point is cutting deep.
But forever stubborn, I wouldn’t let this cake beat me. Nope. Onward and upward.
Re-measure, re-sift—mise en place. Let’s do this. And I do. I skip the peeling and the poaching out of laziness.
The end result, not too much different as when I made this previously, where I took the extra 20-25 minutes to peel and poach. But keep in mind I used very ripe pears, so peeling them wasn’t necessary because once baked, the skin is very soft like the body itself.
And that, friends, is the story of this cake and why it is a one picture post. I couldn’t muster up any more love for it by the time I finished.
#lazybaker #badphotographer—Yup, I’m hashtagging within the body of my post. #rulebreaker #dontcare #hashtagoverboard
For instructions on how to make this, hit the jump over to Better Homes and Gardens’s blog Delish Dish.
Chocolate Pear Loaf Cake
Recipe adapted from here
Ingredients
3 8 ounces Bartlett pears, halved 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk* 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 ounces white baking chocolate, melted 3 ounces dark chocolate, melted
- 3 8 ounces Bartlett pears, halved
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
- 3 ounces dark chocolate, melted
Instructions
For the remainder of the recipe, click here.
This is one of the most unique cakes I’ve seen! The pear halves in there make this so gorgeous!
This is a wonderful variation on the chocolate pudding/cake with a melted chocolate centre. I love the softness and graininess of pear. This really is one for me and I might add a few slices of preserved stem ginger too.
So striking! Love it. (Despite its attempts to kill you.)
This is so beautiful! (and I really need to bake with pears…don’t think I ever have!)
Chocolate and pear is a fabulous combo and I love the look of the whole pear slices in the middle!
Such a cool cake! Loving the pair in the center. Worth the sweet…and possible tears! 🙂
I’ve never seen a cake like this! Love it.
Gorgeous! Love the pear inside!
Girl… how did you manage to pull off pear & chocolate without one single smudge? It’s perfection! My loaf would’ve looked like bread pudding 😉 Have a beautiful weekend it that gorgeous CA weather!
I have to say I know that feeling. But this looks incredible! Definitely worth the pain, sweat, and tears for such a stunning cake!
The pear & chocolate combo is heavenly!
This looks absolutely delicious!
Gorgeous! What a perfect loaf for an afternoon tea or Sunday brunch!
This is so damn pretty I can’t get over it!!
it may be one photo- but it’s a beautiful one 🙂
I only need one photo to love this cake and know it’s amazing! Gorgeous, as always!
ahhhhh, so gorgeous!
Sheer genius! One person should not have so much talent :>)
This is beyond gorgeous! How on earth does your brilliant mind come up with this stuff?! 🙂
So pretty, I love whole pears inside cakes! And wow, that was some commitment to get this cake together – totally justifies this being a one (beautiful) picture post!
Heavenly and so gorgeous!!
This is such a gorgeous cake! Pinned!
Totally gorgeous! Love this idea!
It’s 54-degrees here … wanna switch?! 😉
And that cake? Bring it with you!!
How fabulous is this?! Beautiful!
I absolutely love pears but don’t bake with them nearly enough…but in this chocolate loaf cake? Um, yes please, going to be making this right away!
One picture is all we need to know that this is going to be delicious! We are definitely well into a warm spring here in the southern hemisphere, but I am sure that this will be just as welcome!
Absolutely gorgeous cake, Naomi. I hope it’s cooled down for you guys now.