Pear Cake

My *new* friend Susan, who I met at Elaine's cabin for the girls weekend in the second weekend of December, brought this delicious cake. We devoured it. It was so fresh and moist. Perfect for either a breakfast cake or dessert. Perfect for this time of year when pears are fresh in the grocery market.

Fresh Pear Cake

3 cups all- purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1t ground cinnamon
1/2 t kosher salt
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
5 just-ripe pears, peeled and cut into 1/4 slices
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs, room temp
1/3 cup orange juice
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 almond extract
garnish: powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 10" tube pan. Combine 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 t cinnamon, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Mix 1/3 sugar with remaining 1/2 t cinnamon and 2 T flour mixture in a large bowl. Add pears to large bowl, and toss gently.

Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in remaining 2 cups sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs. Gradually beat in remaining flour until blended. Add orange juice and extract; beat until smooth.