Acadian Syrup Cake with Roasted Pears and Caramel Sauce

By LRay

Southern Living, November 2014, Page 116.

A Cajun classic, this spice cake (aka Gateau au Sirop) gets much of its sweet flavor from a Southern staple, cane syrup. We love Steen's 100% Pure Cane Syrup, made in Louisiana. If you can't find pure cane syrup, don't sub a blended syrup; use honey instead. Roast the pears and make the caramel sauce while the cake cools. To dress up the cake for serving, we used a fleur-de-lis stencil to create a powdered sugar design atop this glorious dark and deeply delicious cake.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh finely ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups dark cane syrup or honey
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Shortening
• Powdered sugar
• SPICED WHIPPED CREAM
• 1 tablespoon dark cane syrup or honey
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Pinch of cinnamon
• CARAMEL SAUCE
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup dark cane syrup
• Pinch of salt
• ROASTED PEARS
• 8 medium-size firm pears (3 1/2 to 4 lb.), peeled and cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch wedges
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup unfiltered pure apple cider
• 1/4 cup dark cane syrup or honey

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Whisk together syrup and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; add to dry ingredients. Whisk until blended. Pour batter into a greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch springform pan.

2. Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan, and cool 1 hour on wire rack. Sprinkle powdered sugar over cake, and serve warm or at room temperature with Roasted Pears, Caramel Sauce, and Spiced Whipped Cream.

Preparation for CARAMEL SAUCE
Bring brown sugar, butter, whipping cream, dark cane syrup, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool 15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week. To reheat, microwave in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 10 to 15 seconds or just until warm; stir until smooth.
Preparation for SPICED WHIPPED CREAM
Microwave dark cane syrup or honey in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 10 seconds. Stir in heavy cream and a pinch of cinnamon until well blended. Beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer just until soft peaks form.
PREPARATION for ROASTED PEARS
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Toss together pears and lemon juice in a large bowl. Line a jelly-roll pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and lightly coat foil with cooking spray. Place pears in a single layer on prepared pan, and dot with butter.
2. Stir together apple cider and cane syrup in a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or just until mixture begins to bubble. Drizzle cider mixture over pears, and toss to coat.
3. Bake pears at 400° for 20 minutes. Remove jelly-roll pan from oven, and carefully stir pears. Bake 30 to 40 more minutes or until pears are golden brown and caramelized and syrup has thickened, stirring every 10 minutes.