This cake features seasonal pears baked in a sticky, sweet and delicious maple syrup. Perfect served warm with a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients
Serves 8
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2 tbsp butter
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½ cup *pure maple syrup
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3 small firm pears, peeled, halved and cored
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½ cup caster sugar
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½ cup butter, softened
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1 tsp vanilla
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2 large eggs
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1 ½ cups plain flour
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1 ½ tsp baking powder
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1 tsp ground ginger
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½ cup milk
Method
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Preheat oven to 170°c and grease and line a 22cm cake tin*
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Place the butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and allow the sauce to simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Pour into the prepared tin and allow the syrup to cool slightly before arranging the pears in the sauce, flat side down.
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Beat together the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy.
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Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time.
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In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and ground ginger.
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Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with a little milk and mixing in between, until it’s just combined.
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Dollop the cake batter on top of the pears and gently spread the mixture to cover the pears evenly.
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Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin before turning out onto a serving plate.
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Enjoy warm with a dollop of double cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
*If using a springform tin, make sure the bottom fit is very tight, otherwise the maple syrup mix can ooze out during cooking. If unsure use a regular cake tin or place your springform tin on a baking tray to catch any spills.
*Maple syrup
Pure maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees. It has a distinct flavour and is useful an alternative to sugar or honey. Make sure you're using real maple syrup and not manufactured maple-flavoured syrup.