Apple Pear Pound Cake

"In addition to the apples, I added a couple of pears to the pan as well. I’ve been saying for years that I want to bake with pears more often, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Pears are quite tasty, but I just never seem to think about them. (We also live smack in the middle of apple country here in upstate New York – apples are everywhere in the fall.) The apple + pear combination was great for this Apple Pear Pound Cake. One other slight twist to this Apple Pear Pound Cake was using maple syrup instead of brown sugar. Maple syrup is nature’s candy, after all. If you’re looking for a tasty dessert, then just make the sautéed apples and pears portion of this recipe. It’s quite tasty! However, if you want to go that extra step or two, then make this pound cake. I used a classic sour cream pound cake, and I folded the sautéed fruit into the cake before it went into the oven. I also finished this cake with a maple glaze to really call out the maple flavor – I highly recommend it!"