Italian Pear Cake

This week, we continue our series on baking with fall desserts. Is it really a series if this is only the second one? Time will tell. Last week it was apple cake, today it's an amazing Italian Pear Cake, studded with pairs in the batter, layered with pears on top, and containing mascarpone cheese! YOU GUYS. Make this cake!

(This is my artsy picture.) Haven't the pears been SO GOOD this year? Seriously, I'm not sure if I remember pears being so consistently good in other fall seasons. But I don't take notes on this stuff. 

This cake is really easy to put together, and looks so beautiful (as you can see!) on the cake plate whole, or even in individual pieces. The crumb (listen to me, the crumb!) is a wonderful texture of somewhat dense, but still light and airy (how is this possible?) and the pears add another dimension of texture and flavor.

We ate this plain, and with vanilla ice cream, and both ways were delicious. Get out your springform pan and make this cake. It's going to be more than 70 degrees here today, which in itself is an Autumn Miracle, but the evenings are cooler and are crying for cake. If you make this, there will only be tears of joy. 

Italian Pear Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup + 1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch 

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3 eggs (room temperature)

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup mascarpone (room temperature)

2 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 

2-3 medium pears (Bartlett, Bosch or Anjou are best)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cornstarch, baking powder and baking soda. 

In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until creamy, about two minutes, then add the eggs and mix until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients, and stir them in by hand with a wooden spoon. Add in the oil, and stir well until all the ingredients are combined.

Peel and core the pears, then chop half and thinly slice half. Add the chopped pears to the batter and fold in gently. 

Grease and flour an 8- or 9-inch spring form pan. Add the batter to the pan, then arrange the pear slices over the top.

Bake at 340 for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached. Let cool completely; dust with powdered sugar, and serve.