Spiced Pear Sharlotka

Callie Gavorek

Dietitian and K-12 consultant

Canton, Mass.

Dietitian Callie Gavorek created this spiced pear cake for the 2023 Can-Do Challenge, and her recipe won first place in the contest. It features diced canned pears packed in light syrup, an ingredient that helps reduce the amount of sugar needed in the cake. Cinnamon and raisins enhance the fruit flavor.

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line bottom of 10-inch round springform pan with parchment paper trimmed to fit. Spray pan and parchment with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Drain canned pears, reserving 1 tablespoon juice. Let pears sit in colander or on a baking rack to drain for 15 minutes. Blot pears with paper towel to remove excess moisture.
3. In electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until thick ribbon forms, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract and reserved pear juice; beat for another minute to incorporate.
4. In separate bowl, combine flour and cinnamon. Carefully fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Combine until evenly incorporated, but be careful not to overmix. There will be streaks of flour.
5. In bottom of prepared pan, evenly sprinkle half the raisins; spread pears evenly across bottom, covering the entire base. Pour half the batter on top of fruit mixture; sprinkle remaining raisins on batter. Pour remaining batter over the raisins, smoothing the top.
6. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes, then remove pan’s springform, leaving base under cake. Let cool to room temperature.
7. Finish by dusting cake with powdered sugar and cinnamon. To serve, cut into 12 slices.

Photo courtesy of Pacific Northwest Canned Pears