When it's cold and dark outside, as it is so early these days, I like to bake something cozy. Gingerbread is perfect.

This Gingerbread Pear Cake takes things up a notch. All golden and burnt copper, this perfect-sized cake seems to glow like a fiery little lamp in a dim room. It's deep and gingery, moist with chewy edges, and complemented by juicy, quartered pears, which caramelize on the bottom during baking, and after it has cooled, grace the top in a pretty pattern.

Gingerbread Pear Cake Recipe:

Ingredients For The Topping:

• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4-5 pears, peeled and quartered

Ingredients For The Batter:

• 1 1/3 cups soy milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons agave
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon caramel extract

Method:

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil and line a springform pan with parchment (whatever size you like, depending on how tall you want your cake to be).
4. Melt topping ingredients (minus pears) in a saucepan. Pour into springform pan. Arrange pears on bottom.
6. Whisk milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
8. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
10. Combine wet ingredients in a bowl.
12. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until there are no large lumps.
14. Pour batter into the baking pan. Bake for about 1 1/2 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
16. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto your serving dish. Serve warm.