Pear and Amaretto Cake

One of the (many) beauties of home baking is the sheer abundance of treats, titillations and delectations that are attainable with but a minimal of exertion. Whatever your desire, but it rich and luxurious or inspiriting and sustaining it can be fulfilled inexpensively and without difficulty. This Pear and Amaretto cake may be simple in its conception, but is wholly more sophisticated in both flavour and texture, with soft saporous plums and just the merest tickle of amaretto. It is a delightful classic cafe style cake, by which I mean it is sweet, satisfying and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.

Prep time: 20 Mins
Baking time: 60 Mins
200g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
200g Light Soft Brown Sugar
3 Large Eggs
100g Ground Almonds
1.5tbsp Amaretto
125g Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
3 Ripe Dessert Pears
50g Flaked Almonds    

For regular readers how we begin should come as no surprise. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep loose bottomed cake tin and line the base with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold through the ground almonds, then pour in the amaretto and do the same. Sift in the flour along with the baking powder and mix together to a smooth batter. Set to one side whilst your prepare the pears.

Peel and core the three pears, then slice thinly. Spread about a third of the cake mixture thinly over the base of the tin, the spread half of the chopped pears on top. Spoon another third of the cake mixture on top of the pears and again even out to the edges as best you can. It doesn't matter if some of the pears shift, in fact this is a good thing. Lay the other half of the sliced pears on top again, then spread the final third of the cake mixture on top, working it to the edges. It may look a little untidy but do not fret, it will even out in the oven. Scatter over the flaked almonds and bake in the centre of the oven for around 60 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the deep golden cake. When you are happy it is cooked remove, leave in the tin for 20 minutes, then carefully turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack. Find a quite moment, slice, serve and relax. You have earned your treat.