Best Italian Pear Almond Cake
Ingredients
- 9 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 9 Tbsp white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 7 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3.5 oz ground almonds
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 medium pears ripe, peeled, cored and halved
- 1.7 oz flaked almonds
- Icing sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375° F.
- Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prepare pears, by peeling, coring and cutting in half. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and white sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a spatula, fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Spoon batter into the prepared springform pan and use a palette knife to even out the mixture. (Batter will be thick and fill the pan only about an inch thick).
- Arrange the pear halves over the top of the cake and bake in pre-heated 375° oven for 25 minutes. Remove cake from oven and sprinkle the flaked/sliced almonds over the top. 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, then run a knife around the outside and carefully remove the ring and base. Dust with icing sugar before serving with
- Optional Mascarpone, Marsala and Orange Cream: Whisk the grated rind of 1 orange and 2 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed orange juice in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons sweet Marsala and 100 g (3 1/2 oz.) of mascarpone cheese. Sweeten with icing sugar to taste.
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