Spiced Pear & Buttermilk Cake

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats oats

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 medium-sized pear: half sliced into ¼-inch wedges, the other half diced small

coarse-grained sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 375⁰F degrees with racks in the middle. Line a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, one at a time, beating well between each. Add half of the dry ingredients, alternate with all of the buttermilk and the other half of the dry ingredients. Mix slowly until just combined. Fold in the diced pears. Do not overmix!

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Gently nudge in the pear slices diagonally into the top of the batter, leaving about half of the fruit sticking out. Sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 40-60 minutes or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.