"I feel the end approaching.
Quick, bring me my dessert, coffee and liqueur."
- Pierette, great-aunt of Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Cake:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 large pears (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1 cup solid vegetable shortening, melted, cooled
1 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
1 1/4 cups light unsulfured molasses
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/4 cups hot water

Sauce:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light unsulfured molasses
1/2 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
Whipped cream

For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with foil. Spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange pears over foil. Using electric mixer, beat melted shortening and 1 cup brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Gradually beat in molasses. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt and cloves in medium bowl. Add
to molasses mixture and mix until blended. Stir in 1 1/4 cups hot water.
Pour batter over pears in prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer to rack. Cool in pan
30 minutes
Meanwhile, prepare sauce: Combine butter, 1/2 cup molasses and 1/2 cup brown sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Stir mixture over medium-high heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat.
Using small sharp knife, cut around edge of cake. Turn out cake. Peel off foil. Serve cake warm with molasses sauce and whipped cream.