Fresh Pear Cake
["2 to 3 Bartlett pears", "1/2 c. butter or margarine", "1 1/4 c. sugar", "2 eggs", "1 tsp. grated lemon rind", "2 c. all-purpose flour", "2 1/2 tsp. baking powder", "1/4 tsp. salt", "3/4 tsp. ground ginger", "1/2 tsp. mace or nutmeg", "1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans", "powdered sugar (optional)"]
["Peel pears, halve and core with potato masher or food processor. Mash enough to make 1 cup pure. Cream butter, sugar, eggs and lemon rind until light. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Add pears and dry ingredients to creamed mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in nuts. Turn into greased and lightly floured ring mold (or you can use a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan). Bake at 350\u00b0 for 1 hour or until tester inserted near center comes out clean. Let cake stand on wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn out of pan. Cool completely."]
["Bartlett", "butter", "sugar", "eggs", "lemon rind", "flour", "baking powder", "salt", "ground ginger", "mace", "walnuts", "powdered sugar"]