I don’t often bake with pears. And the only reason is because it’s one of my favourite fruits, so they are usually eaten as is before I even think of using them for another purpose. As with most other fruit, I do love including them in salads, savoury dishes and desserts though so here is a recipe that is new to me but will definitely become one of my favourites.
This cake is based on a traditional Italian cake. I have added and changed a couple of things though, as with all my other recipes. If you love cake but don’t like the overly sweet versions covered in icing, then this is the perfect treat for you.
This petite cake gives me a real sophisticated ‘grown up’ cake feeling that I can imagine serving to a group of girlfriends or when my Mom in law comes to visit.
Pear and Almond Cake
Ingredients
- 2 – 3 Medium pears ripe, peeled, cored and quartered I only used 2
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter (approx. 115g) Softened to room temperature
- ⅔ Cup Golden Castor or Light brown sugar White or castor will also work if needed
- 2 Large Eggs
- ½ Cup All-Purpose/Cake Flour
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 100 Grams Ground Almonds / Almond Flour
- ¼ Cup Flaked almonds
- Icing sugar for sprinkling/decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C
- Grease a small 18 – 20cm springform cake tin with a removable bottom and line the bottom with a piece of baking/parchment paper. Set aside
- Prepare pears, by peeling, coring and cutting in quarters. Set aside
- In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix through. Then fold in the ground almonds
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and use a palette knife, spatula or spoon to even out the mixture. The batter will be thick and not easily spreadable and will fill the tin only about 2,5cm high. It will rise while baking though
- Arrange the pear quarters over the top of the cake and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Remove cake from oven and sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top then return to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin for around 10 – 15 minutes. Then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire cooling rack
- Dust with icing sugar before serving
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