Spiced Cocoa and Red Pear "Earl Grey Tea Cake"

Recipe Rating:	1 Rating5
Categories:	Cakes, Fruit Desserts, Chocolate, Other Desserts
Keywords:	Christmas, tea, cocoa, winter, pear
Serves:	16-18
Prep Time:	20 Min
Cook Time:	40 Min

Ingredients

CAKE
2 stk	butter, unsalted
1 c	sugar
1 c	dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp	honey
3 c	flour
1/3 c	cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 Tbsp	baking soda
1/2 Tbsp	baking powder
1 tsp	salt
3	eggs
3/4 c	cooled earl grey tea, strongly brewed
1 Tbsp	cinnamon
1/2 tsp	ginger
1/2 tsp	nutmeg
1 c	dark chocolate chunks
2	red pears, diced
	non-stick olive oil spray
	cocoa powder for dusting
1 Tbsp	coarse sugar, large grain (optional)
1 pinch	cinnamon sugar (optional)
FROSTING
2	chocolate, unsweetened squares
1 stk	butter
1/2 tsp	apple pie spice (or substitute cinnamon)
1 tsp	vanilla
1 1/2 c	sugar ( i like granulated, heavily creamed, but you can used powdered)
TOPPING
1	chocolate, unsweetened squares
2 Tbsp	sugar ( i like granulated, heavily creamed, but you can used powdered)
1/2 stk	butter
1 tsp	heavy cream, cold
1 Tbsp	sliced almonds
2 Tbsp	honey

Pinched by Sotagirl75, and 36 more.

Tiffany Bannworth

Well Seasoned

Cape Coral, FL (pop. 154,305)

MissAnubis

Member Since Jun 2011

Tiffany's Notes:

Try this cake on a cold, winter night. It will warm you from the inside out. Serve with warm apple cider or your favorite warm winter beverage.

Directions

Preheat oven to 325.

In a mixing bowl, cream sugars, honey, and butter. Then add one at a time and beat for 3 minutes.

Add dry ingredients and tea, save chocolate chunks, pears, coarse sugar, and cinnamon sugar. Beat until airy.

Fold in pears and chocolate chunks.

Take two small, square cake pans. Spray with non-stick spray and dust with cocoa.

Evenly divide batter into pans. Optionally, you may sprinkle coarse sugar and cinnamon sugar on the top of the batter of one pan. DO NOT STIR. This will be the layer that goes atop.

Place in oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Remove cake and cool completely.

To make frosting that goes only sandwiched in between the two layers, melt chocolate for 60 seconds or a little more if need in a microwave safe bowl.

In a mixing bowl, cream the rest of the frosting ingredients for 3 minutes. Then mix in chocolate. Beat for additional minute.

Place in freezer until it becomes the consistency of a stiff, creamy mousse.

After both are cooled, spread atop bottom layer and place top layer on. If you make your topping ahead of time, squirt some chocolate on the bottom layer too.

To make topping, again microwave chocolate 10 seconds at a time as not to burn.

Beat the rest of the ingredients save almonds thoroughly and mix in melted chocolate. Then chill in fridge to thicken.

Place in small squirt bottle or just drizzle with spoon over the top of cake in a zig zag formation. Drizzle almonds atop.