Coffe Cake with Walnuts and Pears

You can make this with fresh pears or well drained canned pears. 

  3 Cup all-purpose flour                                                           2 Cup sugar

  1 Tsp baking soda                                                                    3 Large Eggs

  1 Tsp ground cinnamon                                                           2 Tsp vanilla extract

  1/4 Tsp salt                                                                              1 Cup Pecans, Chopped

  1 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened                                        3 Cup Pears, Peeled And Sliced

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-x-13-inch cake pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.  In the bowl of a standing mixer or with a hand-held mixer at low to medium speed, cream the butter and the sugar together, until the mixture is light yellow and holds soft peaks. With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next one. Add the vanilla extract and chopped nuts. Fold in dry ingredients just until moistened then fold the diced pears into the batter and spread the batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top of the batter in the pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake on a rack for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan. Serve at room temperature.