Pear Cake

"The pear is the grandfather of the apple, its poor relation, a fallen aristocrat, the man-at-arms of our domains, which once, in our humid land, lived lonely and lordly, preserving the memory of its prestige by its haughty comportment."
Francois Pierre de la Varenne

 Pear Cake

adapted from Louise Pickford " The Ultimate Cake Decorator"

Ingredients

Butter-  unsalted 125g or 4 oz

Sugar- fine 125g

2  large eggs, lightly beaten

All- purpose flour-225g or 2 cups

Baking powder- 1 Tablespoon

Milk - 2 tablespoons

Cardamom- 2 pods ground or @ 1/2 teaspoon

Walnuts ( chopped)  50 g or 1/3 cup

Poppy seeds 1 Tablespoon

Pears 575 grams total -peeled, cored. 200 grams chopped into cubes. 375 sliced and halved. Slice @ 1/4 inch thick. ( Any very sweet kind !)

salt 1/8 teaspoon  

Honey -any favorite flavor @ 3 tablespoons

Directions

Grease and line bottom of a 8- 9 inch pan spring form pan with parchment.

Pre-heat oven to 350 F

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in eggs until incorporated. 

Sift flour and baking powder , salt, cardamom together. Add poppy seeds to sifted flour mixture  Fold ALL into  butter egg mixture . Add milk. Mix

Fold in mixed walnuts and chopped pears into batter. 

Pour into pan. Smooth the surface, making a small dip in the center. 

Place three walnut halves in the center. Arrange pear slices fanned around walnuts covering the cake, pressing  front edge of each new  pear slice into batter of cake. Then overlap a new slice . Repeat .

Bake @ 45-1hr  or until cake tester comes out clean. 

Warm honey until spreadable.

Remove cake from oven . Brush with  warm honey. Let cool 20 minutes in pan before removing, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. 

Spread smooth

Fanned @ cake. Mine are too thin and not tilted into cake :(

Brushed with honey

Moist and delicious!

 I love this cake because I  love cardamom, and it is delicious. It also makes a beautiful presentation when finished.  However, many different combinations can be mixed into this cake. Ginger, cinnamon , nutmeg,  could be substituted, even an extract .  Apples, apricots or plums. Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans. Poppy seeds could be omitted (  but  I think they add a nice texture).  Sugar could be sprinkled on top prior to cooking, and honey omitted.  Sooo be my guest!

Happy Eating!