Yes, I made it with canned pears. It was FABULOUS! The pears I used were home canned ones, pears in brandy or something like that, I think Annie actually gave them to me. I might throw in a TBLSP of brandy to the cake, but I don't think it is necessary at all. The cake was so yummy and moist and spicy and delish. I made it for my class. Don't forget to top it with whipped cream!!

OK, so post the recipe already, LOL, I have canned pears.

Lpink, your pears were actually canned in Port, but I don't think it would make any difference. And I can spiced pears too, I'll bet it would be good with those. Yum. I love pears.

Annie

Here's a link to the recipe.

Here is a link that might be useful: Penzeys Pear Ginger Coffeecake

Oh Yeah, I forgot. It's pears in port, unless it's plums in port. Brandied cherries. I've never made those, but I would like to. Can never get good cherries in PA.

Oh, now I remember reading about those tipsy pears!

Since I plan on making it for an early brunch at church on Easter, I think I'd better skip the booze at that hour of the morning.

Thanks so much for your input.

MM it will be PERFECT for that. I've made pear cake twice with canned pears, turned out good both times. Report back how it goes!

Can never get good cherries in PA.

Lpink, Lpink... your devotion to the Michigan homeland is touching, but I cannot allow this slander against PA! Especially our area, which is great for pick-your-own-fruit.
We have wonderful cherries, cheap for the picking! Sour and sweet. I pick lots of beautiful sour cherries almost every year at the beginning of July. Ontelaunee Orchard in Leesport, less than an hour away from you.

Thanks for the link, L. Of course, you and I KNOW there's no place in the world that has cherries as good as those in Michigan. :-)

Blueberries either, and I just read that there will be a "glut" of blueberries this year if the weather holds, and they should be really inexpensive. this might be the year to stock up on those....

Annie

Thanks CC. Oh yes I know PA has great fruit, and other produce. It's just FINDING it. That is a great orchard tip for this year, because I really want to get some pie cherries. Being as how MI is the tart cherry capital of the world, (hope no one here is from Washington state), you can't spit without hitting a tart cherry somehow or other in MI. But I have actually gotten GREAT tart cherries in PA, from a tree on the ground of the arboretum where I worked. Sadly it died after two years. I also planted quite a few at another place I worked outside of Philly. I've gotten great pears, peaches, apples in PA too, and blueberries.

I'm wondering if anyone has made this recipe with butter instead of shortening? I usually use shortening in my coffee cakes with no problem. Any thoughts?

Bonnie

Oh I didn't even catch the "shortening" ingredient because to me, shortening means butter. I dont' buy shortening so when I made it I used butter.

Speaking of fruits, I'll be you could make this cake with other fruits too, like apples, peaches or berries. What really makes it, what is key, is that great candied ginger! I also think the buttermilk is one of its strengths. I love buttermilk cakes. Oh BTW, you can use plain yogurt or sour milk or even sour cream for the buttermilk. I never buy buttermilk either. I just didn't notice these things because to me, in a recipe, "shortening" means butter, and "buttermilk" means plain yogurt. I use those automatically. Those are the things I have on hand.

Lpink, Oh, tart cherries! Back in my childhood in Ohio there was a tree in our backyard so I fondly remember wonderful cherry pies, and miss being able to get them here in the south. I love warm cherry pie (ala mode, of course) and was distressed at having to buy cans of tart cherries at an exhorbitant price, with very few cherries floating around in the can.

Hmmm. Never really thought about substituting sour cream or yogurt for buttermilk. I hate having to waste most of a quart of buttermilk in order to make my mom's old cake recipe, then noticed cans of powdered buttermilk on the store shelves, so I've been using that for quite a while and don't notice any difference. . . except when I didn't sift out the little hard lumps which occurred while stored in the refrigerator.

L, I also use yogurt in place of buttermilk and in place of sour cream too. I always have it on hand because I make my own, and it's much lower both in fat content and in price.

Oh yeah, I'll bet this recipe would be great with peaches...

Annie

L, I'm from Washington..and last years Cherry crop was awful..never tasted such awful cherries!! Usually they are devine..but can't say that I've ever had Michigan cherries either..fresh ones anyway.

Made this for Easter morning and was loved by all..... even the little kids.

Maxmom: Thank you for bringing this to my attention, and to the rest of you who gladly recommended it.