Fresh Pear Cake

10 minutes ago

2 min read

This Fresh Pear Cake is one of those simple, homely cakes that is perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. It is soft and moist, with plenty of fresh pear running through the cake, a little cinnamon for warmth and sliced almonds scattered over the top.

I love using fresh fruit in cakes because it adds so much natural moisture without making the cake feel too heavy. For this one, the pears are processed with a little lemon juice until almost pureed before being folded into the batter. You still get all that lovely pear flavour, but it is spread throughout every slice.

The cinnamon works beautifully with the pears, while the yoghurt or sour cream keeps the crumb lovely and tender. I like finishing the cake with sliced almonds before baking and, if you want a little extra sweetness, you can sprinkle some sugar over the top too.

It's an easy cake, but that's exactly what I like about it. Nothing too fancy, just a soft, moist pear cake made with fresh pears that is lovely served on its own.

Preparation Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50-55 minutes

Serves 10

Ingredients

3 pears - peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 eggs

1 1/8 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter - softened

1/3 cup yoghurt or sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon sugar - for the top, optional

Sliced almonds - for the top

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line a loaf cake pan with baking paper and set aside.
Place the peeled and cubed pears into a food processor with the lemon juice. Process until the pears are almost pureed, but don't worry if there is still a little texture. Set aside.
Add the sugar and eggs to a large mixing bowl. Beat for 3-4 minutes, until pale, light and fluffy.
Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix until just combined.
Add the softened butter and yoghurt or sour cream and mix until incorporated.
Add the processed pears and vanilla and gently mix until everything is combined. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and, if you like, 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Bake at 170°C for 50-55 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool before removing it from the pan and slicing.