Coconut-Pear Cake

Three of the pears from this morning went into this cake - along with dates, coconut, and pecans. I tried to lighten it up a little, by using some Splenda for some of the sugar and cutting out a quarter cup of the oil. I also substituted whole wheat flour for half of the white. The original recipe was supposed to be in a bundt or tube pan, but I'm glad I did it in loaf pans since it came out a little crumbly. That's probably because of the changes I made, as well as the high-altitude baking.

But this is a wonderful, dense, cake - a little like a cross between a fruitcake and a quick bread.

Coconut-Pear Cake

1 cup sugar
¾ cup granulated Splenda
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped dates
3 cups chopped pears
1 cup chopped pecans
In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla. By hand, stir in coconut, dates, pears and pecans (batter will be thick). Spoon into a greased and floured fluted tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until cake tests done. Cool on rack until cake comes away from sides of pan; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Will also make 2 loaf pans - cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes; check for doneness with toothpick and add another 5-10 minutes as necessary.