Spiced Pear Coffee Cake

My spiced pear cake screams Fall.   Right now you can find pears and peaches everywhere.  Eat them raw, toss them on top of a salad,  poach them in wine or bake a cake.  If you don't have pears handy, substitute peaches or apples!  

I rarely make a cake with frosting, (must cut back somewhere). It's as though, if there is no frosting,  there is not as much guilt!   This cake is filled with juicy pears and so moist.  Who needs that gooey frosting?

Spiced Pear Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use a 9 inch round cake pan greased with coconut oil and dusted with flour.

2 pears, peeled and thinly sliced

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 trial bottle (airplane size) spiced rum (optional)

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup flour

1 Tbsp cinnamon

For the topping:

a handful of chopped pecans

1 Tbsp sugar and a dash of cinnamon

In a large bowl mix eggs, sugar, milk and spiced rum, if using.  Add half of the pears to the batter and blend well.  Save the nicer looking pears for the top.  Add the salt,  flour and cinnamon stirring well.  Pour into the greased pan and place remaining pears on top in a "wheel" pattern.  Sprinkle the nuts, sugar and cinnamon on top.

Bake for about 55 minutes.  This cake tastes great warm but even better cold.