PEAR AND GINGERBREAD COFFEE CAKE

I bought too many pears!!! and had to figure out some thing to do with all of them. I poached some so I have dessert at a moments notice. I also made this Pear Gingerbread Coffee Cake. It has all the flavors of fall and will be on my November offerings at the country club where I work. Here is the recipe:

For the Topping
1 1/2 Ounces Unsalted Butter
3 1/2 Ounces Golden Brown Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon
3 Large Pears (peeled, cored & thickly sliced lengthwise)

For the Cake
8 Ounces Unsalted Butter (room temp)
5 1/4 Ounces Golden Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Grated Ginger (peeled)
3 Large Eggs (room temp)
2/3 Cup Molasses
1 Pound All Purpose Unbleached Flour
1/2 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
12 Liquid Ounces Buttermilk (room temp)

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Make sure it is accurate with an oven thermometer.
2. Line a 9" x 3" baking pan with parchment paper, can also use a springform pan. Spray with release agent.
3. Melt together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and pour into the prepared pan. Spread to completely coat the bottom of the pan.
4. Place the thickly sliced pears in a circular pattern over the butter mixture. Set aside.
5. In the bowl of a 5 quart mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter.
6. Add the brown sugar and continue to cream for about 5 - 7 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. With a spatula scrape the sides.
7. Add the ginger and mix to incorporate.
8. Add the eggs one at a time, mix well, and scrape after each addition.
9. Pour in the molasses and mix to incorporate. Mixture will look separated but this is OK. Scrape the bowl.
10. Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
11. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, ending with the flour. Mix only enough to bring the mixtures together and mix only on low speed.
12. Pour the batter on top of the pears in the baking pan, smooth the surface.
13. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
14. Let the cake rest for 20 minutes in the pan then invert it onto a cake plate. Serve slightly warm.
15. You can microwave each piece of cake before serving it for 15 seconds just to warm it without any loss of quality.