Bake Off - Pear Cake

Who doesn't love a little sweet caramel with some sweet fruit?  Caramel is one of my personal favorites, that's why day 2 is yet another recipe involving it.  But I do think you'll enjoy this one.  It was hard to pick baked good that I thought would be good and easy for to share with you all, but I wanted to make sure you all got the best!  If there are any recipes you have been searching for, shout out to me, I'll look through what I have and let you know.  Also, I always except recipes and will give plenty of recognition to their authors.


Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think of this cake :)


Pear Cake with Caramel Sauce


Ingredients: 
Cake - 
16 oz can pear halves in extra light syrup
1 pkg. Pillsbury plus white cake mix
1/2 cup oil
3 egg whites


Frosting - 
1 cup whipped cream
2 tbs sugar
1 tbs pear brandy or 1 tsp vanilla
16 oz. can pear halves in extra light syrup, drained
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or walnuts, toasted


Sauce - 
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup whipped cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine


Directions: 
Heat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan.  Drain 16 oz can pear halves, reserving 1/3 cup liquid.  Place pear halves in food processor bowl with metal blade or blender container; process until smooth. In large bowl, combine cake mix, pureed pears, reserved 1/2 cup pear liquid, oil and egg whites at low speed until moistened; beat 2 minutes at hight speed.  Pour into greased and floured pan.


Bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool upright in pan 15 minutes; invert onto serving plate.  Cool completely.


In small bowl, beat 1 cup whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks form.  Fold in pear brandy.  Frost cooled cake with whipped cream.  Cut drained pear halves lengthwise into about 32 slices.  Arrange on top of cake, slightly overlapping slices.  Press nuts into sides of cake.  Refrigerate until serving time.


In medium saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients; bring to a boil.  Boil over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Cool to room temperature.  Drizzle 2 tbs sauce over pear slices.


To serve, spoon about 2 tbs sauce onto individual dessert plates.  Place slice of cake on sauce.  Store cake and sauce in refrigerator.  Make about 16 servings.