Pear, Vanilla, And Ginger Cake

• 8 pears small
• water 1 lt.
• 1 7/8 cups sugar
• 5 ounces marsala wine
• 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 11/16 tablespoons milk or soy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1. To prepare the pears, place the water, the sugar, and the Marsala wine in a large saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Cut off the bottom of each pear so that it can stand on its own and eliminate the seeds.
3. Place the pears in the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, stirring occasionally, until the pears are done, approximately 10 minutes.
5. Remove the pears from the saucepan and place them on a plate.
6. To prepare the batter, preheat the oven to 165C.
7. Use a mixer to beat the butter with the sugar for approximately 5 minutes.
8. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
9. Add the seeds from the vanilla bean and the ground ginger.
10. Sift the flour with the baking powder and add it to the batter.
11. Add the milk, mixing for a few more minutes.
12. Butter and flour an 18 centimeter cake pan, or line it with wax paper and pour the batter inside.
13. Add the pears to the cake pan by inserting them carefully into the batter, all the way to the bottom.
14. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
15. Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

water, sugar, marsala wine, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla bean, flour, baking powder, milk, ground ginger

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Pear_-Vanilla_-and-Ginger-Cake-632310 (may not work)