It’s been a while but Christmas did what it does best, piling on the pounds, a couple at least, so I thought it best to stay away from baking for a bit…. I actually baked this cake a while back and simply forgot to post it! Pears compliment really well chocolate and it adds a healthy touch… My baking apron is back on!
Ingredients:
- 175g softened butter
- 125g soft brown sugar
- 3 lightly beaten eggs
- 150g self-raising flour
- 15g cocoa powder
- 1tsp espresso powder *optional
- ¼tsp salt
- 2 tbsp room temperature milk
- 2 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°fan/ Gas 4 and prepare a 23cm/ 9″ round loose-bottomed cake tin, greased and lined
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Gradually, add the eggs to the mixture, beating well after each addition. Don’t worry if it starts to look a little curdled.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, coca powder, espresso powder if used and salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients gently into the creamed mixture until well combined.
- Stir in the milk and pour the mixture into your cake tin. Level the surface.
- Arrange the pear slices on top of the batter.
- Bake in the oven for about 1 hour until the cake is just firm to the touch and the sides have started to shrink from the side.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10mn before transferring to a wire rack.