Glazed Pear Snack Cake

Glazed Pear Snack Cake

Makes 12 servings
Choose fragrant, thin-skinned pears that yield to gentle pressure for this cake.

Ingredients:1 3/4 cups whole-grain pastry flour1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/8 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 teaspoon salt1/2 cup sugar1 large egg1 large egg white3 tablespoons canola oil3/4 cup reduced-fat buttermilk or fat-free plain yogurt1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 ripe medium pears, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks1 teaspoon apple jelly

To Make:Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9" x 9" baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, egg, egg white, and oil until smooth. Whisk in the buttermilk or yogurt and the vanilla. Stir in the pears.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until blended. (The batter will be very soft.) Scrape into the prepared pan.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch and shrinks from the sides and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 30 minutes on a wire rack. Spoon the apple jelly on top and spread it gently with a pastry brush. Cut into squares and serve the cake warm or cool.