Pear Cake With Caramel Sauce

Photo: flickr user norwichnuts

Ingredients

16 ounces can pear halves in extra light syrup

1 pkg. white cake mix

cup oil

3 egg whites

1 cup whipping cream (for frosting)

2 tablespoons sugar (for frosting)

1 tablespoon pear brandy or 1 tsp. vanilla (for 16 ounces pear halves in extra light syrup (for 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or hazelnuts (for 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed (for sauce)

1 cup whipping cream (for sauce)

1/2 cup butter (for sauce)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan or 9x13 inch cake pan. Drain 16 ounce pears, reserving 1/3 juice. Place pears in blender or processor. Blend until smooth. In large bowl, combine cake mix, pureed pears, 1/3 juice, oil and egg whites at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes on high speed. Pour into pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes or until done. Cool upright for 15 minutes, invert onto serving plate. Cool.

In small bowl, beat 1 cup whipped cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in brandy. Frost cooled cake. Cut drained pears lengthwise, thinly. Arrange on top of cake, slightly overlapping slices. Press nuts into sides of cake. Refrigerate.

In medium saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients. Bring to boil. Boil over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Drizzle 2 tablespoons sauce over pear slices. Serve rest of sauce with cake. 16 servings.