Pear Spiced Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour all-purpose
• 1.3 teaspoons baking soda 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 
• 5  pears ripe
• 0.8 cup vegetable oil 
• 2 cups granulated sugar 
• 3  eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 0.3 cup butter 
• 0.5 cup brown sugar packed
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 cup whipping cream 
• 1 cup powdered sugar 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• wire rack
• blender
• hand mixer
• toothpicks
• cake form

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening or cooking spray; light flour.
2. Peel, core and chop 2 of the pears; place in blender. Cover; puree until smooth. Measure 1/2 cup of the puree. Reserve remaining puree for another use.
3. In small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
4. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup pear puree, the oil and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until combined.
5. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla.
6. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined.
7. Peel, core and chop remaining 3 pears. Fold chopped pears into cake batter.
8. Pour into pan.
9. Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes.
10. Place cooling rack upside down over pan; turn rack and pan over.
11. Remove pan. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
12. To make icing, in 2-quart saucepan, cook butter, brown sugar, salt and cream over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute.
13. Remove from heat; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. With whisk, beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Immediately pour over cooled cake.