Pear Almond Cream Coffee Cake

For the past two weeks my parents have been traveling through Spain and Portugal.  As a welcome home, I wanted to have this cake ready and waiting for them.  This cake paired with chicken soup was sure to hit the spot for my weary travelers.

My hope was that the almond cream (aka: frangipane) would make the center of this cake creamy and flavorful.  I happen to love baking with almond cream so I had some in my freezer leftover from another baking project.  I used this instead of Rose's recipe.  I am hoping it had the same effect on the cake.  So.. I started with mixing the dry ingredients, mixing the wet ingredients minus the butter and 1/2 the sour cream.  I then put the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and did a double take when the recipe said to put the butter and sour cream straight in the flour mix.  Mix well. Then add the wet ingredients.  Strange, eh?  I usually do this in reverse order or in partial additions.  Surprisingly it worked out just fine.  I finished the cake by placing the batter in my Baker's Secret Fluted Tube Pan (it really is the best even though it is the cheapest), spooning the almond cream on it and topping with the sliced pears.  In the oven it went and viola!

Welcome Home Dad and Mom!!!