Cardamom Pear Bundt Cake

Don’t tell me you’re unaware of the pleasures of cardamom. Surely you’ve familiarized yourself with the uniquely spicy-sweet spice?

Don’t think that just because you’ve had it in a curry dish or a spiced lamb hand pie (mmmm, yes, please) that it won’t get along with sugar in a Bundt cake with white chocolate ganache poured over top. It works so well, like how nutmeg and cloves just take a pumpkin pie to another level.

According to the wise world of Wikipedia, cardamom was “reportedly used as an antidote for both snake and scorpion venoms” (super helpful!), and “is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat dysentery” (again, awesome!). All you really need to know is trust. As in, trust me. I wouldn’t lead you astray (except in these unfortunate situations, which are really quite rare).

And if you happen to suffer from a snake bite or the runs, well, a slice of this cake might cure you of your ills :).

Adapted from food52’s recipe…

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 tablespoons milk

3 eggs

3 pears, chopped into a rough 1/2 – 3/4″ dice

1 tablespoon butter

GLAZE:

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 ounces white chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease bundt pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom; set aside.
3. In a saucepan or frying pan, cook pears in melted butter over medium heat for 3 minutes (until softened). Allow to cool.
4. In a large bowl, beat oil and sugar with an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Add vanilla, milk and eggs and continue to beat for 3 minutes. Add in flour mixture one cup at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. Fold in pears with a spatula until evenly distributed.
5. Spread batter evenly into bundt pan and bake for 80 – 90 minutes, until top is golden and cake tester comes out clean of crumbs. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then gently invert onto a cooling rack to cool.
6. GLAZE: Pour chocolate chips into a small bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat cream until it just starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips and wait 3 minutes before whisking until smooth. Allow to sit and cool until it thickens – about an hour at room temperature, or faster in the fridge. Whisk the mixture briefly before spreading it over the top of the cake.
Tips:
- Use freshly ground cardamom- not that you have to ground it yourself, but make sure your spice is fresh within the last few months. (Don’t use the cardamom from the spice rack if it’s from the last decade, is what I’m saying.)
- If your pears are already super ripe, you can skip the step of cooking them.
- This dessert freezes well.
- Enjoy!
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May 17th, 2015 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: Cakes, Fruit