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- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder plus additional for garnish
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs - large
The pears not only provide a flavorful complement to the chocolate, but they also provide moistness
to this cake, as well as a decorative touch.
Directions
- For the pears, lightly butter a nine-inch cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper
and grease the paper.
heat the butter in a medium saute pan.
Add the brown sugar, zest and
lemon juice.
Stir until the butter is melted and all ingredients are combined.
Add the
pears, lower the heat to medium low and cover.
Simmer, turning once until the pears are soft
and juicy.
Remove them from the heat.
Place 6 of the pear halves, stems towards the center
with the rounded sides down, in the prepared pan.
Chop the remaining pears and place them back
into the sauce along with the currants.
Heat for 2-3 minutes, then place half of the mixture
in the center of the pears in the cake pan. Set the rest aside for later.
For the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Scald the milk in a saucepan, keep warm.
Whisk
the flour, pecans, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice in a medium bowl.
Beat the
butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Increase the speed to medium high and add the sugar.
Continue beating until light and fluffy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the cocoa
powder and vanilla and beat for one more minute.
On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time,
beating well after each addtion.
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