Recipes and Cooking Chocolate-Cinnamon Pear Loaf Cake 4.3 (15) 6 Reviews Poached pears take center stage in this cinnamony loaf cake. Try substituting sour milk (milk with lemon juice or vinegar) for buttermilk. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on August 1, 2013 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Andy Lyons Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Bake Time: 50 mins Cool Time: 10 mins Total Time: 100 mins Servings: 10 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 3 8 ounce Bartlett pears, peeled 2 cup water ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon orange juice 1 3-inch stick cinnamon 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup packed brown sugar ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk* ½ cup olive oil 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 ounce white baking chocolate, melted Finely shredded orange peel (optional) Directions Poached Pears: Core the pears from the bottom, leaving the stems intact. In a large saucepan combine the water, 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and cinnamon stick. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add pears. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove from heat. Discard liquid and cinnamon stick. Cool pears. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine the 1 2/3 cups flour, brown sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, 1 tsp. cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, and olive oil. Add to flour mixture. Whisk until smooth. Bread: Pour batter into prepared pan. In a small, shallow dish combine 1 Tbsp. flour, 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder, and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Roll each pear in the flour mixture to lightly coat. Place pears, stem sides up, down the center of the batter (pears will be exposed at the top, but the batter will rise up around them during baking). Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean Remove; cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. To serve, drizzle melted white chocolate over loaf. Garnish with orange peel, if desired. *Sour Milk: To make sour milk, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar in a 1-cup glass measure. Add milk to make 1 cup; stir well. Let stand 5 minutes before using. Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 352 Calories 15g Fat 53g Carbs 5g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 10 Calories 352 % Daily Value * Total Fat 15g 19% Saturated Fat 4g 20% Cholesterol 21mg 7% Sodium 274mg 12% Total Carbohydrate 53g 19% Total Sugars 30g Protein 5g Vitamin C 3.6mg 18% Calcium 103mg 8% Iron 2mg 11% Potassium 246mg 5% Folate, total 49.3mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.1mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.