Chocolate Pear Spice Cake

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups applesauce
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
• 1 small Bosc pear, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 (2.6 ounce) bar milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch springform pan.

Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs, applesauce, molasses, and butter in a large bowl. Beat in the cake mix along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and orange peel. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan. Top the unbaked cake with pear slices; sprinkle evenly with the pecans and chopped chocolate.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Cool for 25 minutes before removing from pan.