In a saucepan combine the sugar and water. Heat over medium heat, and stir until combined. Add the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Add the pear and reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced a little and the pear is soft, but not turned to mush. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the pear (DO NOT THROW AWAY - put in container in fridge for the cocktail you will later be making, or see my tip below) and pour the simple syrup in a mason jar and store in the fridge.

Heat the oven to 325, spray 9-inch round cake pan or 13x9 pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl cream sugar, oil, molasses, and eggs. Add water and soda mixture. Then add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Throw in the cup of hot water to the batter. The batter will be shockingly thin, that is ok, this is what you want...something magical happens when you bake (science comes in I am sure) and it works.

Bake this about 50 minutes, maybe an hour. Insert a toothpick in the center, when it comes out clean the cake is done.

When the cake is still warm, drizzle some of the simple syrup over the cake to soak it in. You need to do this when it is warm or the cake will not absorb the syrup as good.

When ready to serve warm the remaining simple syrup slightly and drizzle over the cake as you serve it.