On with the quick bread theme!
I decided to use up some pears and baked this recipe from Vegetarian Times. Since I have to take it to Thanksgiving tomorrow, I’m left it mostly like it is and am taking some vanilla ice cream on the side in case the kids aren’t keen on gingerbread.
Later I figure I’m going to be swapping out that egg for some flax seeds and omitting the yogurt entirely in favor of more applesauce to veganize it.
I made it in a 2.6 L Anchor Hocking glass pan with a lid. Makes it easier to transport than the 8×8 with no lid. (2 L). So I added extra pear topping to cover the bottom and just dealt with the fact that there’s be less cake stuff on top. Cut out a heart from paper, put it in the center and dusted the top with powdered sugar since I don’t plan on flipping it over like an upside down cake.
Pear Topping
- 1 tbs Earth Balance (to grease pan)
- 5 tbs packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 4 pears, peeled, cored and grated
Gingerbread
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or mix white and whole wheat)
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 large egg (Or 1 tbs ground flax seed + 3 tbs water)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (or use soy yogurt or use more applesauce)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Brush 8×8-inch glass baking dish with butter. To make Pear Topping: Press brown sugar over bottom of prepared skillet. Sprinkle with nuts. Arrange pear evenly over nuts.
- To make Gingerbread: Whisk flours, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat egg, sugar and molasses with electric mixer 3 minutes. Add applesauce and oil, and beat until blended. Fold in flour mixture and yogurt Pour batter over pears.
- Bake 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Dust top with powdered sugar if desired.
