Recipe: Walnut-Pear Sour Cream Cake Recipe

Walnut-Pear Sour Cream Cake (Better Homes and Gardens Magazine- October 1999
Page 264)

1 cup broken walnuts
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 medium pears, peeled, cored and sliced (about 2 cups)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 8-oz. carton dairy sour cream
1/2 cup broken walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or 9x9x2-inch
baking pan. Combine the 1 cup nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. For topping,
cut the 1/4 cup butter into 1/3 cup flour to make coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4
cup of the nut mixture. Set nut mixture and topping aside.

Toss pears with lemon juice; set aside. In a medium bowl combine the 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer 30 seconds. Beat in granulated sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add flour mixture
and sour cream alternately to batter. Beat on low speed after each addition until combined.

Spread two-thirds batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved nut mixture. Layer pears over top. Gently spread remaining batter over pears. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake 10 minutes. For a chunky top, sprinkle with 1/2 cup more nuts. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove side of springform pan, if using. Cool at least 1 hour. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired. Serves 12.

Prizewinning Recipe of Stephanie Hurt of Greencastle, Indiana.Gina, enjoy!