Butterscotch Pear Cake

Ingredients

Brown Sugar Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake

• 1 (29 ounce) can pear halves
• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix*
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 (3 3/4 ounce) box instant butterscotch pudding mix

Filling

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup reserved pear syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup butterscotch morsels
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup chopped pears
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Instructions

Brown Sugar Cream

1. Whip cream until it begins to thicken.
2. Add brown sugar and vanilla extract. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

Cake

1. Drain pears, reserving 1/4 cup syrup. Chop pears to equal 1 cup for filling. Slice remaining pears for garnish.
2. Beat cake mix, milk, eggs and pudding mix until well blended.
3. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Cool 5 minutes in pans, then turn out on racks to cool completely.
6. Put cake layers together with half filling mix and spread remainder on top.
7. Frost the sides of the cake with Brown Sugar Cream.
8. Garnish top with reserved pears.

Filling

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, cream, reserved pear syrup, butterscotch morsels and egg in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened.
2. Remove from heat and stir in chopped pears, coconut and nuts. Chill.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.