Place Chai tea bags in a 4 qt. saucepan and pour boiling water over the top. Let steep 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in honey. Add pears and enough water to cover them barely. Bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove pears and set aside and cool before inserting into the cake batter.

Keep that poaching liquid in the pan for later! Directions to follow.

Cake Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper to lift the loaf out with ease.

Stir in a large mixing bowl, olive oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk.

Add baking soda, salt, and spices. Slowly fold in the flour till just combined; do not over mix.

Pour batter in the lined loaf pan. Add poached pears are standing up in a row. Push slowly down to the bottom. Bake 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Tip: watch for the first 10 minutes or so, pears might start to lean, just gently reset into position.

Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove cake by lifting the parchment paper and rest onto the wire rack again for another 30 minutes.

Enjoy with a nice cup of Chai tea. Maybe a dollop of whipped cream if you so desire, but I feel this cake is plenty moist and tasty on its own.

While your cake is baking, Keep that poaching liquid on a simmer till it reduces down.  Let cool and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator till ready to use. We don’t wanna waste all that good Fall taste. Thinking infused cocktails by a crackling fire soon. Fall-ow me on this blog, and I will share that recipe in your inbox!