Ingredients

Serves 8-10

  • 110g (4oz/1/2 cup) soft light or dark brown sugar
  • 110g (4oz/1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in cubes
  • 175g (6oz/generous 1 cup) plain flour
  • 110g (4oz/1/2 cup) caster sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 150ml (5fl oz/generous 1/2 cup) sunflower oil
  • 1 pear, coarsely grated
  • 1 tablespoon (1 American tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) grated ginger
  • 4 pears, peeled, cored and cut into 6

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
  2. Sprinkle brown sugar over the bottom of a heavy 25cm (10 inch) sauté pan or frying pan or a heavy cake tin with 6.5cm (2 1/2 inch) deep sides. Add the butter to the pan. Place the sauté pan on a low heat until butter melts.
  3. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt together. Whisk in the eggs and oil. Mix in the grated pear and ginger.
  4. Remove the pan or tin from the heat. Whisk the butter and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Arrange the pear slices in the frying pan or tin.
  5. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the cake is springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean (approximately 1 hour).
  6. Allow to cool slightly (10 minutes approximately); loosen the edges of the cake with a knife and turn out onto a hot plate.
  7. Serve warm with softly whipped cream or homemade vanilla ice-cream.