Just because you are cooking in a Dutch oven doesn’t mean that you can’t create beautiful-looking and tasting cakes. This pear cake with caramel sauce is proof of this.
Using an off-the-shelf cake mix as a foundation, the real taste and enjoyment comes from the additions and execution including a scratch-made caramel sauce and frosting.
This is an award-winning Dutch oven competition recipe!
Pear Cake with Caramel Sauce Recipe
Just because you’re cooking in a Dutch oven doesn’t mean that you can’t create a beautiful and tasty dessert as shown by this pear cake with caramel sauce.
Preparation 20 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Ready in 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12 Servings
Ingredients
Pear Cake
- 1 can (15 oz) pear halves in light syrup
- 1 packet white cake mix or vanilla cake mix
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 egg whites
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup whipping thickened cream
Frosting Cream
- 1 cup whipping cream (thickened cream)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
To Assemble
- 1 can (15 oz) pear halves in light syrup
- 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or walnuts toasted
Equipment
- 10 inch Dutch oven
- small Dutch oven or pot
Directions
Pear Cake
- Line a 10” Dutch oven with parchment paper or baking paper. Drain one can of pear halves, reserving ⅓ cup of the liquid. Place pear halves in a food processor bowl with a metal blade or blender container; cover and process until smooth.
- Place pear halves in a food processor bowl with a metal blade or blender container then cover and process until smooth. If unavailable mash to dice the pears to make them as smooth as possible.
- In a large bowl combine cake mix, pureed pears, reserved ⅓ cup pear liquid, oil, and egg whites. Mix until moistened, then pour into the lined Dutch oven.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the Dutch oven for 15 minutes, then with the Dutch oven lid on, turn it upside down to remove the cake. Cool for 1 ½ hours or until completely cold.
Caramel Sauce
- In a small Dutch oven or pot combine the brown sugar, butter, and cream, then combine well.
- Bring the sauce to a light boil, then simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat then cool to room temperature.
Frosting Cream
- In a small bowl, beat the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form, then fold in vanilla.
To Assemble
- Frost cooled cake with whipped cream.
- Cut drained pear halves lengthwise into about 32 slices. Arrange the pear decoratively on top of the cake.
- Press nuts gently into the sides of the cake, and any gaps in the pear design.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons caramel sauce over pear slices.
- Serve the cake in slices with additional caramel sauce.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 411kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 3gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 31mgPotassium: 193mgFiber: 3gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 838IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1mg
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