Active Time

　　30 min

　　Total Time

　　4 1/4 hr

　　A towering dessert on the holiday sideboard always gets attention. And the oohs and aahs will only get louder when you cut in to reveal its moist crumb dotted with ruby-red cranberries and topaz-colored pear. Its scent of vanilla and spices is very inviting, while the brown sugar and cinnamon glaze is, of course, the icing on the cake.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 8 to 12 servings

　　

For cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 tablespoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1 teaspoon cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

　　1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

　　1 3/4 cups sugar

　　1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

　　4 large eggs

　　1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

　　3 Bosc pears (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

　　1 cup cranberries (thawed if frozen)

　　

For glaze:

1 cup heavy cream

　　1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

　　1 tablespoon light corn syrup

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　2 (3-inch-long) cinnamon sticks

　　Equipment: a 10-by 4-inch angel food cake pan or a 15- cup Bundt pan

　　

Make cake:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter cake pan.

　　

Step 2

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.

　　

Step 3

Beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined well.

　　

Step 4

At low speed, mix in pears and cranberries, then mix in flour mixture until incorporated.

　　

Step 5

Spoon batter into pan.

　　

Step 6

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

　　

Step 7

Cool in pan 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.

　　

Make glaze:

Step 8

Bring cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, cinnamon sticks, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, then simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 9

Cool glaze 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks, then pour glaze over cake, letting some drip down sides.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　•Cake, without glaze, can be made 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.

　　•Cake can be glazed 3 hours ahead.