Old Fashioned Pear Spice Cake [With Cream Cheese Frosting] - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups salad oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
3 medium firm ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced (about 1 and 1/2 lbs total)
1/2 cup chopped almonds or 1/2 cup walnuts
Creamed Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine, at room temperature
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Preparation

In the large bowl of an electric mixture, combine sugar, oil, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger salt and flour.
Mix to blend; then beat at medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Using a rubber spatula, fold pears and nuts into batter.
Spread in an ungreased 9 by 13 inch baking pan.
Bake in a 350 oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (50-55 minutes).
Let cool in pan on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, prepare Cream Cheese Frosting.
For frosting:
Beat [butter, cream cheese and vanilla] until fluffy.
Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting is of good spreading consistency.
Spread frosting over cool cake.