This is another recipe using the pears kindly given to us by a friend. The pears are Conference but you could use any eating variety. The cake is my almond cake batter – light and moist. This pear cake is very good with lots of cream as a dessert or indeed with a cup of tea in the afternoon. Shaheen recently made a wonderful chocolate pear crown cake that looks fantastic, take a look at the post on her blog about it for more pear cake inspiration.
4-5 pears (the ones I used were quite small)
25g butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
175g softened butter
175g caster sugar
3 eggs
150ml natural yoghurt ( I use Greek yoghurt)
1 tsp almond extract
200g ground almonds
100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Method
Grease and line a 23cm springform pan and preheat the oven to 160°c, gas mark 3.
Peel the pears and remove the base and the stalk. Slice the pear through but keep the top intact so that you can fan the pear out. You will see from the picture that I wasn’t entirely successful at keeping the pears in fans but it doesn’t matter too much. Melt the butter in a pan that is large enough to take the pears in a single layer. Add the sugar and swirl until melted. Add the pears and cook for about 10 minutes over a medium heat until they become a lovely caramel colour. Set aside and allow to cool a little while you make the cake batter.
Beat the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add the yoghurt and the almond extract and beat well.
Add the ground almonds, flour and baking powder and fold in carefully.
Put the batter into the cake tin and level the top. Place the caramelised pears on top, fanning them out as you go.
Place the tin into the centre of the preheated oven (the baking oven of the Aga) and cook for about 1 hour until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for about ten minutes in the tin. Then turn out upside down onto a plate, remove the base and turn the right way up onto a wire rack to finish cooling. You could serve it warm or cold with lots of cream (and those poached pears if you wanted to).
I would love a slice of this cake – you can’t beat a cake cum dessert. I have a stock of small conference pears and this recipe will be ideal. The caramel pears on top of the cake must be delicious.
Ooh it is delicious, give it a go Margaret, you and hubby will both love it. It’s more interesting than just eating a pear.
Love the new header, Kath. This recipe surely is going to the top of my to-be-tried pile.
Thank you Michele, I am not yet sure about the new header, I will see if it grows on me.
I really want to eat this cake. I love pear cakes and this sounds just right, especially since I love almond cakes too.
Thanks Phil, it is a good combo.
Made this cake early this morning it is very yummyscrummy !! Its not going to last long in the cake tin!
Thanks for giving Aga instructions
Brilliant Country Cook, I am very happy that you have made it already. Up and at them this morning then?
There you go with the almonds again … are you baking just for me? Looks divine, as ever.
Thank you Cathy 🙂
Oh, oh, oh – a slice for me please. Have just been asked to make a load of cakes for a party, now thinking this will have to be included.
Oh I hope you make it. The caramelised pear is lovely and the cake is just right with it. Can I come to the party if you are making a load of cakes?
I’m with Michelle—this recipe has captured my attention—a must-do this weekend. I have some perfectly ripe pears, and almonds to boot!
Love your new header, too. Nice work!! Now, to have a look at Shaheen’s chocolate pear crown…
Aw thanks Nancy, I am still not sure about the new header – I might grow to love it. I hope you do make it, it’s a lovely cake. Let me know how you get on if your do.
I just recieved about 30 ripe pears from my neighbour, so I know that i am going to make this stunning recipe! I have all of the ingredients in the house! :)!
Thanks & MMMMMMMMMM,….Kath!