3 cups unsifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (16-ounce) Bartlett pear halves in unsweetened juice
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light-brown sugar
3 large egg whites
1 Tablespoon finely grated orange rind
3 Tablespoons orange juice
2 cups coarsely shredded carrots
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar

In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; set aside. Drain pears, reserving juice for another use. In food processor fitted with chopping blade, process pears until smooth; set aside.

Heat oven to 350º. Generously grease a 9-inch decorative tube pan. In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat pear puree, brown sugar and egg whites until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally with rubber spatula.

Reduce mixer sped to low; beat in flour mixture, orange rind and juice just until flour mixture is moistened. Do not overbeat. With rubber spatula, fold in carrots and strawberries until well mixed. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack and remove pan; Cool cake completely.

Just before serving, transfer cake to serving plate. Place confectioners’ sugar in small strainer and sift over top of cake. Makes 16 servings.