Place pears and nuts in processor; blend to thick puree. Add buttermilk, both sugars, butter, eggs, and both extracts. Process until well blended (mixture may look curdled). Add to dry ingredients; stir to blend. Transfer to prepared pan.
Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack; peel off paper. Cool cake completely.
FROSTING: Combine brown sugar, cream, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to boil. Boil 2 minutes, swirling pan occasionally. Pour mixture into medium bowl. Chill until cold and beginning to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in cold brown sugar mixture, then vanilla.
Place cake on platter. Spread frosting over cake. Sprinkle nuts on top of cake.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover.
Sprinkle additional powdered sugar over cake.
Instead of the vegetable oil or butter usually found in cakes, olive oil is used here, lending a mild aroma and flavor that complement the walnuts and orange. Regular olive oil works best, as its mild taste won’t compete with the other flavors. Nutty but delicate, this cake would be delicious with just a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, or tea, or after dinner. 8 to 10 servings
Nonstick olive oil spray
1½ cups chopped walnuts
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1½ cups sugar
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
½ cup olive oilPowdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter springform pan with nonstick olive oil spray. Place parchment paper round in bottom of pan; spray parchment.
Grind walnuts in processor until finely ground but not powdery. Combine ground walnuts, flour, and baking powder in medium bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat eggs in large bowl until frothy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating until light, thick, and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Gradually add walnut-flour mixture, then orange juice, orange peel, and olive oil, beating just until blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.
Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Carefully invert cake onto platter and remove parchment. Sift powdered sugar over cake.
Fresh, ripe, seasonal fruit is essential in desserts that feature it—such as this one. So make this cake when summer plums are at their peak. Other summer fruits that would be delicious in this recipe: pitted fresh cherries or sliced peaches and nectarines. During fall and winter, use sliced cored unpeeled pears. 6 to 8 servings
1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup plus 1½ tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
5 large plums (about 1¼ pounds), pitted, cut into ½-inch wedges
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in ¾ cup sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, then lemon juice and lemon peel, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Press plum wedges halfway into batter in concentric circles, spacing slightly apart. Mix remaining 1½ tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; sprinkle over plums.
Bake cake until browned on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cut around cake; release pan sides. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.
This tender raspberry cake has the texture of a fresh cake doughnut, so it would be great for brunch. Very lightly sweetened whipped cream could be substituted for the crème fraîche. 10 servings
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup Marsala
¼ cup fresh orange juice
14 tablespoons (1¾ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
4 cups fresh raspberries, divided
2 cups crème fraîche or sour cream
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg in medium bowl to blend. Combine Marsala and orange juice in small bowl. Beat 12 tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with Marsala mixture in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1½ cups raspberries; reserve remaining berries for serving.
Bake cake until top is gently set, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Dot top of cake with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue baking until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. Release pan sides; transfer cake to platter. Cool to room temperature.
Mix crème fraîche and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl.
DO AHEAD: Cake and crème fraîche mixture can be made 8 hours ahead. Let cake stand at room temperature. Cover and chill crème fraîche mixture.
Cut cake into wedges. Top each with dollop of crème fraîche and fresh raspberries and serve.
Similar to a rustic coffee cake, this Belgian classic is a light and fluffy yeast-risen treat with a custardy brown sugar topping. Often served with fresh berries as dessert, the tart is also lovely for brunch or as an afternoon snack with coffee or tea. 10 to 12 servings
1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes