Chocolate Gingerbread With Warm Pear Sauce

Ingredients

• 0.8 teaspoon baking soda 
• 0.3 cup firmly brown sugar light packed
• 0.3 cup butter 
• 0.5 cup butter 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 3 ounce cream cheese softened
• 2 ounce crystallized ginger finely chopped
• 1 large eggs 
• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.8 cup granulated sugar 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 0.5 cup blackstrap molasses 
• 30.5 ounce pear halves drained chopped canned
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels (6-ounce package)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• whisk
• wire rack
• hand mixer

Directions

1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Combine flour, salt, ginger, and cardamom; set aside.
3. Beat 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.
4. Add granulated sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar; beat until creamy.
5. Add egg, and beat until blended. Slowly add buttermilk mixture to butter mixture; beat 2 minutes. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture just until combined. Fold in crystallized ginger and chocolate morsels.
6. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch square pan.
7. Bake at 350 for 53 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
8. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
9. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves.
10. Add pears; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring gently to coat.
11. Serve warm sauce over cake.