Yield: 8 portions
Preparation time: approx. 1 hour
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 125 g unsalted butter, softened
- 125 g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 50 g plain flour, sifted
- 100 g ground almonds
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp almond extract (optional)
Fruit & Finish
- 3 ripe pears, halved and cored
- Flaked almonds, as needed
- Icing sugar, sifted, for dusting
Mascarpone Cream (optional, for service)
- 100 g mascarpone cheese
- 100 ml whipping cream
- Zest of ½ orange (preferably organic)
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp Cognac or Marsala (optional)
- 1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
Method
Cake Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (static). Prepare a 20 cm springform tin by lightly greasing and lining the base with parchment.
- Creaming: In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and aerated.
- Emulsify: Incorporate the eggs gradually, mixing well after each addition. If necessary, stabilise the mixture with a small spoonful of flour.
- Dry ingredients: Fold in sifted flour, ground almonds, and baking powder until just combined. Add almond extract if using.
- Moulding: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared tin. Arrange pear halves neatly on the surface.
- Baking: Bake for 25 minutes. Remove briefly, sprinkle with flaked almonds, then return to the oven for a further 10–15 minutes. The cake is done when golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cooling & finish: Leave to cool completely in the tin. Remove the ring carefully and dust with icing sugar before service.
Mascarpone Cream (optional)
- Whip the cream to soft peaks.
- Blend: In a separate bowl, mix mascarpone with orange zest, juice, Cognac or Marsala, and icing sugar until smooth.
- Incorporate: Fold the whipped cream gently into the mascarpone base until homogenous.
Presentation & Service
- Serve the cake at room temperature, cut into even portions.
- Accompany each slice with a quenelle or spoonful of mascarpone cream.
- For a professional finish, garnish with a light dusting of icing sugar just before serving.
