Spicy Walnut and Pear Cake

This cake is seriously special and very moist and tasty. You can use it warm as a dessert, with lashings of clotted cream or cold with a cup of tea! I found the recipe many years ago in a newspaper and now sits in my clippings folder. I does take a little more effort than a plain cake but it’s well worth it. I only like to eat hard green pears, so find this cake handy to use up the fruit that are turning yellow. I hate waste.

You will need a square or oblong tin, about 9 x 9“ or equivalent. Lightly oiled, then lined with parchment. Hang it over the sides, making it easier to lift out later on. [see pic on my Blog] Preheat your fan oven to 190C

1 - Make a crumble topping.

  1 oz softened butter

  2 oz plain flour

  2 oz caster sugar

  2 oz chopped walnuts

  1 teaspoon cinnamon

Rub the butter into the flour then add the remaining ingredients. Set to one side.

Peel and slice 3 pears [I used Conference] and leave in a little lemony water until you are ready.

2 - make the cake

  6 oz softened butter

  6 oz caster sugar

  ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

  3 large beaten eggs

  6 oz SR flour

  pinch baking powder

  1 level teaspoon cinnamon

  1 level teaspoon mixed spice

  2 tablespoons calvados

  1 large pear, peeled and grated

Cream the butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, along with a teaspoon of flour with each addition. Fold in the flour and spices, then the grated pear and spirit.

Tip into your prepared tin and roughly level off. Dry your pear slices on some kitchen paper. Tip half of your crumble mix over the cake, followed by the thickly sliced pears, sprinkle the calvados, then the rest of the topping. Generously dredge with Demerara. 

See the photo on my Blog.

Pop this into your oven for about 55 mins to an hour. I turn the oven down to 180 after 30 mins. Cool in the tin for a few minutes. Just delicious.