Pear Butter Spice Cake

Last Sunday was perfect.

With two young kids, let’s just say the last fives years of dining out has taken on a whole new meaning. It’s unusual if we don’t spill something (or multiple things). More often than not we’re the noisiest table. And to just sit, visit and leisurely enjoy our meal has become a thing of the past. But this last week, I think I saw the light at the end of the tunnel table. It was my dad’s birthday and my brother and his daughter joined myself, my husband, our kids and my parents for a late breakfast at our favorite local spot. Minus the one cup of coffee that went down early, breakfast was actually pretty mellow. We weren’t rushed. The kids played, the adults talked and we actually left the joint in decent shape. Dare I say it was enjoyable?

We left the restaurant on a mission to burn off some the bacon we just consumed.
Because there is always bacon.
Not far from our house is a great hiking trail with a little loop that is never crowded. It is so tree laden that when the colors are changing, this places goes off. This year was no exception. If Katy Perry were ever to do a music video in the mountains while hiking, (unlikely) this would so be her jam. It almost looked fake there was so much color. Like someone had spray painted all the leaves hues of red and pink. It was the most spectacular display of color I can ever remember during a Utah fall. Both the boys were troopers hiking a good part of the trail and my husband wasn’t in his usual “let’s race to the top” mode. Just like breakfast, we had a leisurely pace and took many breaks to stop and enjoy the colors.

After hiking we went straight home where stayed for the rest of the day- a rarity in our busy lives. The afternoon was lazy and I mean it in the best sense of the word. The big boys lounged on the couch and watched football while the little one napped. I spent the afternoon in the kitchen baking cake and watching the Katy Perry Documentary. Obviously I was inspired by the pink leaves. Like feeding the teenage pop queen in me that never was. I just can’t help myself. Please don’t be too harsh.

After my best rendition of “baby you’re a firework………”, I ate cake. Alone. In silence with a cup of hot tea. If you’re a parent or someone who happens to live with demanding little creatures than you know how precious this moment was. I felt like I’d hit the lotto with my pear butter cake and Earl Grey. I actually got through a few of the endless amount of food magazines and catalogues that are stacked neatly by my bed. The perfect ending to a damn good day.

This cake is a riff on the ever popular applesauce cake. Made with some homemade pear butter I put up last month, it’s full of warm spices and the perfect way to welcome fall. The crunchy topping, made of turbinado sugar and cinnamon, is a great balance to this ultra moist cake.
This cake would be great for breakfast or as an after school snack but but if you can sneak a half an hour in for yourself, eat it alone. Rocking out to pop music if you can.

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