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A uniquely flavored cake using olive oil as the fat and Equal as the sweetener, along with canned pears. A hint of black pepper and allspice add an interesting "bite".

Pear Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Cake:
1 (15-ounce) can pears in juice, undrained
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup quartered soft pitted prunes
2 tablespoons reserved pear juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 3/4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup finely ground almonds or semolina flour (see Note)
1 cup Equal® Spoonful*
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Cream Cheese Icing:
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup Equal® Spoonful**
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1. For Cake: Drain pears, reserving 2 tablespoons juice. Chop 2 pears into 1/2-inch chunks. Pour remaining pears with 2 tablespoons reserved juice, buttermilk, oil, prunes and almond extract into blender or food processor; cover. Blend until smooth.
2. Combine flour, ground almonds, 1 cup Equal®, cardamom, allspice and pepper in large bowl. Pour pear mixture into flour mixture. Mix lightly just until combined. Fold in pear chunks.
3. Spoon batter into lightly greased and waxed-paper-lined 8-inch round cake pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. For Cream Cheese Icing: Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Frost top of cake with icing.

Makes 12 servings.

* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

** May substitute 6 packets Equal sweetener

Note: Semolina flour is made from durum wheat and is ground more coarsely. It is available in some supermarkets.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
calories 276, protein 6 g, carbohydrate 26 g, fat 17 g, cholesterol 6 mg, sodium 277 mg.

Food Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fat.

Recipe provided courtesy of Merisant Corporation ® and the NutraSweet Company, makers of Equal®

Click for more information on the artificial sweetner Aspartame.