Wednesday, April 17, 2002

'Pear'fectly pleasing lemon cake

When life gives you lemons, pair them with pears and celebrate with a simple-to-make, crowd-pleasing fruit-flavored cake.

Using just a few pantry staples, you can transform a basic batter into a delicious dessert. With a hint of citrus, a touch of golden honey and a stunning fan of pear slices on top, Pear-Berry Lemon Cake is great for brunches, buffets and birthday parties. You don't have to wait for seasonal fruit for a cake like this, because you can find the fresh flavor of pears right in your pantry.

Canned Bartlett pears from the Pacific Northwest are packed at their peak of ripeness, so you get that fresh pear flavor in every bite. Pears, unlike other canned fruits, retain their flavor, shape, texture and color, which make them excellent for cooking and baking.

In recipes like this, which would call for peeling and poaching fresh pears, canned pears let you skip those steps, a convenient choice for today's busy cooks.

A variety of toppings, such as warmed raspberry jam, thawed frozen blueberries or canned sweet cherries, can be drizzled on top to make it even more luscious. Make Pear-Berry Lemon Cake ahead of time so you can relax and enjoy all that life has to offer.

For a free copy of Fast & Flavorful-What a Pear! send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to Pacific Northwest Canned Pear Service, Dept. MAT2002, 105 South 18th Street, Suite 205, Yakima, WA 98901. For additional recipes and tips, visit www.pnw-cannedpears.com.

Pear-berry lemon cake

1 can (15 ounces) pear slices in juice or syrup

1/3 cup honey

1 egg

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups buttermilk baking mix (e.g. Bisquick)

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Topping ideas:

Seedless raspberry jam, warmed

Frozen blueberries, thawed

Canned sweet cherries, drained

Drain pears, reserving 1/2 cup liquid in large bowl. Add honey, egg, lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla to liquid in bowl. Beat until well blended. Stir in baking mix, mixing until just combined. Stir in butter or margarine; mix until combined. Pour batter into greased and floured 9-inch or 8-inch square baking pan. Arrange pear slices evenly over batter in pan. Bake at 350¡ for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Top with jam, berries or cherries. (Makes 8 servings)

Nutrition per serving (1/8 of recipe): 251 calories, total fat 11 g; saturated fat 5 g; cholesterol 42 mg; sodium 414 mg; total carbohydrates 38 g; dietary fiber 2 g; protein 3 g.

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