To poach the pears, cut the pears in half and remove the core with a metal spoon. Fill a small saucepan with the water, and add the cinnamon,  sugar and the cut pears, placed face side down in the pan. Bring the pan to a simmer, and allow to cook for approximately 10 minutes, until the pears are tender. Remove the pears from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon, and allow to cool. Do not discard the poaching liquid.

Heat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Grease and flour a 13″ x 9″ (33 x 23 x 5 cm) rectangular pan* OR 1 12″ (30 cm) round pan.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt , cinnamon, cloves and pepper into a bowl. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, blend together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla until well combines, about 2-3 minutes.

Alternately add half cup portions of the buttermilk and flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating to combine well between each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all is combined well.

Arrange the cut pears in the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Pour over the batter, and place the pan in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick come out clean when tested.

Remove the cake from the oven, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the baking pan by inverting it onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before serving. To finish, sprinkle over a few spoonfuls of the pear poaching liquid, and top with a dusting of powdered sugar.