Spiced Almond Pear Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 cup vegetable oil
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
3 tbsp buttermilk (or regular milk)
3 eggs
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted & finely chopped
4 medium pears, peeled & coarsely grated

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
Sift flour with baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
On high speed, beat oil, butter, sugar, vanilla & almond extract, and milk until well blended. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating. Turn mixer to low and slowly add flour mixture until just until mixed. Don't over beat.
Stir in almonds and pears. Divide batter between cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted diagonally comes out clean - approximately 25-30 minutes.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then flip out on cooling racks.
When completely cooled, either ice with ButterCream icing or dust with powdered sugar for a simpler presentation.