From gingerbread houses and gingerbread cookies to moist gingerbread cake, gingerbread is a true American favorite around the winter holidays.

In this sophisticated 3 Birds Auto rendition, walnut-and-brown-sugar-encrusted baked pears offset the intense spiciness of the sticky-sweet gingerbread cake to create a memorable dessert. This easy dessert is perfect for Christmas parties or family get-togethers

Sticky-Sweet Pear Gingerbread

Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Active time: 30 minutes

Inactive time: 1 hour

Yield: one 8-inch-square cake

Ingredients

For the Pears

4 firm pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

5 tablespoons unpacked dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

For the Gingerbread

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup half-and-half

¼ cup molasses

2 tablespoons canola oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Arrange the pear slices over the bottom of the prepared baking dish and pour the lemon juice over the sliced pears. Mix the butter, brown sugar, and walnuts together and pour the mixture evenly over the pears. Place the pears in the oven and bake 15 minutes, just until the fruit is tender.  Remove from the oven to cool.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and sugar and stir to mix. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the half-and-half, molasses, and oil to the mixture, stirring just until the gingerbread batter is smooth.

3. Pour the gingerbread batter over the baked pears and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the gingerbread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.