Description
Luscious mary berry pear cake showcases British baking elegance with delicate pears nestled in a tender crumb. Elegant dessert invites home bakers to savor its simple yet sophisticated charm.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large eggs
- 3 pears (ripe, peeled, cored and thinly sliced)
- 250g (9 oz) self-raising flour
- 175g (6 oz) butter (softened)
- 175g (6 oz) caster sugar
- 75g (2.5 oz) plain flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 50g (1.75 oz) butter (cubed)
- 25g (0.9 oz) caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Thoroughly butter a 23-centimeter springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Creaming: Whip butter and sugar together until light, fluffy, and pale, creating a smooth, aerated mixture.
- Egg Integration: Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each incorporation to ensure a uniform, silky batter.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift flour, baking powder, and ground cinnamon into the creamed mixture, folding gently to maintain a homogeneous texture without overworking the batter.
- Batter Arrangement: Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface evenly with a spatula to create a level base.
- Pear Decoration: Elegantly layer thinly sliced pears across the batter, creating an artistic and appetizing pattern.
- Crumble Creation: Combine flour, chilled butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl, using fingertips to blend until the mixture resembles coarse, rustic breadcrumbs.
- Topping Application: Generously sprinkle the crumble mixture over the pear-topped batter, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Baking and Testing: Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes. Verify doneness by inserting a skewer into the center – it should emerge clean and dry.
- Cooling and Serving: Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Once cooled to room temperature, serve as is or accompany with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an indulgent touch.
Notes
- Select Ripe Pears: Choose firm, slightly soft pears that are sweet and fragrant. Avoid overly mushy or bruised fruits to maintain the cake’s texture and flavor.
- Prevent Sinking Fruit: Lightly dust pear slices with flour before arranging on batter to prevent them from sinking during baking.
- Crumble Technique: Work quickly when making crumble topping to keep butter cold, which creates a crispy, textured finish. Use fingertips to blend ingredients for optimal consistency.
- Moisture Management: Allow cake to cool completely in pan before removing to help set the structure and prevent potential crumbling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 120mg