Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 box spice cake mix

¾ cup canned pear nectar

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses

½ cup minced crystallized ginger

2 pears, peeled, cored, mashed

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup heavy whipping creme

Cooking

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350° F.

Butter 9-inch diameter spring form pan with 2 ¾ inch high sides.

Stir ½ cup butter in small saucepan over medium heat until melted and brown, about 3 minutes. Pour into large bowl. Add spice cake mix, canned pear nectar, eggs, molasses and crystallized ginger. Using electric mixer, beat batter 2 minutes. Fold in pears. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake until cake is dark brown and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached (about 1 hour 10 minutes APPROXIMATELY!). Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Run knife between pan sides and cake to loosen. Release pan sides. Place cake on platter.

Stir golden brown sugar, whipping cream and remaining ½ cup butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until smooth. Boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in pecan halves. Spoon warm topping over warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

Ø Crystallized ginger can be hard to find. It should be in the spice aisle, but you will have to REALLY look. I found mine at Fry’s… Also, your ginger will not usually come minced. Just break it into small pieces with your fingers.

Ø I could not find pear nectar. If you can, all the better. I used pears in a can with NATURAL juice. I poured off the juice and used that (just eat the pears… They are good for you!)

Ø I find that my oven runs a little hot. So, I would start testing your cake around 55 to 60 minutes.