• Prepare Cakes and put in the oven first. While cakes are baking poach your pears. Once cakes are out of the oven and cooling, make your Maple Cream Sauce!

Cardamom Cakes

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and prepare three 4 inch cake pans with baking spray.
• In a small bowl, melt the butter and add to the milk, set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a separate large bowl and whisk together.
• Using bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment on medium high speed, beat the eggs with the sugar until the mixture is thick and frothy.
• Pour the frothy egg and sugar mixture into the flour mixture. Then stir in the milk and butter.
• Using a whisk gently combine all ingredients.
• Divide the batter amongst the three cake pans. Place the three small cake pans on a cookie sheet.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
• Remove cake pans from cookie sheet and set onto cooling rack.
• Let cool for 10-15 minutes before flipping cakes upside down and removing from cake pans. (this is only to serve cakes warm, you can also allow them to completely cool and place on serving dishes to reheat)
• Take a 1 ½ inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to remove a ¼ -½ deep circle from the top center of each cake. I press just enough to cut the shape of the circle and then remove gently with a spoon. Take out just enough cake for your pear to rest comfortably on top.
• Place each cake with center hole on a serving plate. Gently set a poached pear onto the center hole of each cake.
• Pour Maple Cream Sauce over the pear and sprinkle with cinnamon and/or nutmeg.

Poached Pears

• Peel Pears leaving the stem intact.
• Using a medium sized sauce pot pour in water, wine, and sugar. Add in cinnamon sticks and pears.
• Bring liquid to a soft boil until sugar is dissolved. (stir gently with wooden spoon, do not damage pears).
• Once sugar is dissolved, turn temperature down to simmer and let sit for 35-40 minutes.
• Gently remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel, stem up to absorb any extra runoff liquid.
• Gently place pears on top of cakes with finger tips.

Maple Cream Sauce

• Place cream cheese, vanilla, and maple syrup into the bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium high speed until smooth and creamy.
• Slowly spoon in powdered sugar until a thick frosting forms.
• Pour in milk while on medium speed and mix until desired consistency.
• More milk will create a thinner cream. (I use just enough milk to make it pourable, but not a thin liquid)