- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
- 3 firm but ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
- Whipped cream
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Sift flour and next 8 ingredients into medium bowl. Combine milk and vanilla in glass measuring cup. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until lightly and fluffy. Add egg and beat until will blended. Add molasses and beat will. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Arrange pears in bottom of prepared pan. Pour batter over.
- Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool 10 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out into rack and cool slightly. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)
- Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.