I have tried to make a cake with pear before but it just didn’t work out, it sunk in the middle and wasn’t very appealing to look at. I never posted it, but I still have the pear cake bug, every time I see a pear I want to wrap it something fluffy and sweet.
This weekend I bought three pears with the sole purpose of forcing me to try again. I found this pear cake recipe by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
This recipe spoke to me, caramelised pears? Nothing could be better. These caramelised pears are heaven and some were lost before they even made it to the cake. I couldn’t resist!
Caramelised Pear and Almond Cake
~ slightly adapted from Pear and Almond Pudding Cake
Yield: 1 9 inch cake.
For the caramelised pears:
- 3 pears, peeled, quartered with centres and stalks removed (reasonably firm, but not rock hard)
- 25g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
For the cake:
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 125g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs, I used large since that’s all I had
- 75g wholemeal self raising flour, I used plain non-self raising flour
- 75g ground almonds
- A good pinch of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 170oC. Prepare a spring-form tin (20cm) with a greaseproof paper bottom. (I don’t own a spring-form tin, but I wish I did, it would have been so much easier to remove the cake).
First caramelise the pears, add the butter to a frying pan under a medium-high heat, as it starts to froth add the sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved then add the pears. Move them around the pan so they go equally caramelised all over. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes. Once ready leave them to cool.
Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and beat until fluffy. Add an egg at a time, while beating the mixture, with each egg add a tablespoon of flour. Once both eggs have been beaten in, add the remaining flour, sugar, almonds and cinnamon and fold in.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, then add the pear quarters on top. Pour the pan juices on top of the cake. Pop in the oven for 40-50 minutes (mine took around 45 minutes) until a skewer comes out clean. Leave the tin to stand for a few minutes and then realease. If like me you don’t have a spring-form tin then getting the cake from the tin will be difficult, loosen the edges flip on to a plate and then back on to a cooling rack.
Leave to cool for another 5 minutes, either eat warm or leave longer and eat cold. I’ve tried it both ways and it’s really good, although I have to say I prefer it warm so a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream will start to go all melty.
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That looks too luscious to resist!
It really is, in fact because of a big lunch yesterday it was the only thing I had for dinner!
this looks divine. u even caramelised those pear sliced! i bet the sweetness of the pear must have given the cake so much flavour.
This looks wonderful. I have been looking at recipes for caramelised pear and almond tart and meaning to make it for some time. You have just given me the inspiration.
Happy that I gave you inspiration Corry! Really hope you give it a try – as it is wonderful. I am planning to make 2 for my dinner party this weekend!
Caramelized pears + almonds sound like a match made in heaven! I’ve never made any of Hugh’s recipes, although I’ve bookmarked a few. I think I need to remedy that soon!!
This is a typical frangipane recipe. You can use any fruit that has a fruitstone in it for variety.
This looks so yummy! Do you know if it will freeze well?
Daisy – I don’t know, I don’t have a big enough freezer to store cakes in (so I just have to eat them all quickly). In my opinion this cakes tastes much better straight out of the oven than it does on the second day, so maybe freezing wouldn’t be the best idea…
If you do try it frozen let me know how it goes!
Thanks for a prompt reply, I have a glut of pears from my tree so am finding different ways of using them, and ways of trying to save some of the goodies for later. I will probably try freezing one and let you know what happens.
Well please do let me know how it works out for you! Lucky you to have so many pears, I’m very jealous!
Hi Lauren,
Thanks so much for this recipe! I & my 11 year old daughter made this and it was fantastic! Sooo delicious! crunchy on the outside and soft and yummy on the inside. The family loved it. It has become ‘The pudding cake’ in our household. The best thing is that its so easy. Love it. I serve it with custard or next time I make it I will serve it with mascarpone. :-)
Hi Mac, I am glad you and your daughter liked it. This recipe is probably my favourite cake recipe – it goes down well at dinner parties! I haven’t tried it with custard but that sounds delicious. and I am always a fan of mascarpone :)
Just made this wonderful cake and it’s turned out beautifully. Great recipe, thank you.
I love this tasty recipe thank you for posting it :) YUM…it makes me dribble when I think about it:) quite tender and fluffy my kid Nic adored it :P
Thanks for the post, it makes me want to try this even in the extreme heat! Your link to Hugh’s pear cake needs an update to:
http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/pear-and-almond-pudding-cake-recipe
Wow, really enjoyed this lovely cake, went down well with everyone and turned out great first time. Thank-you for sharing the tasty joy!
Mmmm, couldn’t wait for after dinner to try this lovely Pear cake and it’s delicious. I didn’t have any ground almonds so I sprinkled about 3 tbspns of dessicated coconut in at the end and it works really well. Will try with ground almonds next time. Thanks for the recipe!
Tried this recipe in November and again now in February 2012. Turned out brilliantly both times (I doubled the quantities for the cake in November as I was using a bigger tin!) and 2nd time did it in a small loaf tin that also worked well – I just buttered the tin well and it slipped out. I did it without any cinnamon both times as I prefer it without. Thanks for the recipe!!
thanks Moi, glad you liked it!
I’m pregnant and, trying to be healthy, I just bought some pears yesterday. Now I’ve found your recipe and it’s too tempting to resist! Might try it out tonight. Thanks. :)