Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Maple Roasted Pears and French Vanilla Ice Cream

I say, one can never eat too much cake! This dish was born out of a search for new desserts...yes, that's how I spend my free time. The brown sugar pound cake is an old favorite and the maple roasted pears I had previously eaten filled with Gorgonzola cheese. (over field greens with balsamic vinaigrette- yum!) With the first bite of that pear (so very long ago), I knew it would be delicious with cake- and I was right!

I think the brown sugar pound cake, the French vanilla ice cream and the maple roasted pears make a delightful combination. The ice cream starts melting a little and mixes with the pear juices and maple syrup which then make a really nice sauce for the cake. Obviously I have thought this out a bit and you now know I am dessert obsessed!

The pears are best warm, the cake at room temperature and of course the ice cream rather frozen. The brown sugar pound cake can be made up to three days in advance, kept at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil. I hope you enjoy my new dessert as much as I have!

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

3 cups cake flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 lb. unsalted butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

6 large eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

preheat oven to 325 F

1. Grease a 12 cup Bundt pan. Dust with flour and tap out excess. Set aside.

2. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Beat the butter and the sugars in a large bowl with the mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy-- about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the sour cream and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing just until the batter is smooth.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean- about 1 hour 20 min.

Maple Roasted Pears

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

3 pears

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Rub the butter over the bottom of a baking sheet with sides and sprinkle with sugar.

2. Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise. Cut the cores out with a melon scoop and place cut side down on the baking sheet.

3. Combine the vanilla and Maple syrup in a measuring cup and drizzle evenly over the pears.

Roast the pears until tender and the sugar is caramelized, about 30 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven. Add about 3 tablespoons of water to the pan to de-glaze, the syrup will thin out. Carefully coat the pears well with syrup.