Pear & almond cake difficulty ** #60

Cuts into 8 

Preparing time: 20 minutes 

Cooking time: 35 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• 125 g caster sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 50 g plain flour, sifted
• 100 g ground almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 3 ripe pears
• 50 g flaked almonds
• sifted icing sugar, for dusting 

1. Beat together the butter and caster sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy 
2. Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition
3. If the mixture stars to curdle, add 1 tablespoon of the flour 
4. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder using a large metal spoon 
5. Spoon the mixture into a greased 20 cm spring-form cake tin and level the surface 
6. Arrange the pear halves over the top and bake in a preheated oven, 190 C(375 F), Gas Mark 5, for 25 minutes 
7. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean 
8. Leave to cool in the tin, then carefully remove the ring and base and dust with sifted icing sugar 
9. Serve with Mascarpone, Marsala & Orange Cream, if liked 
10. Enjoy! :-)