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Pear and almond cake with almond crunch topping

Name: Pear and almond cake with almond crunch topping
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 175g softened butter; 150g golden caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 medium eggs; 220g self-raising flour; ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp grated nutmeg; 140ml soured cream; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 50g ground almonds; 2 firm pears, such as Comice; A little lemon juice; For the almond crunch topping; 50g butter; 50g light muscavado sugar; 2 tbsp double cream; 75g flaked or slivered almonds

Published: 30 Sep 05
Updated: 18 Mar 24

This delicious pear and almond cake recipe is a perfect dessert for an autumn or winter dinner party served with custard or thick cream.

Browse more almond recipes.

Easy
October 2005

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands on time 35 mins, plus 1 hour baking time

This delicious pear and almond cake recipe is a perfect dessert for an autumn or winter dinner party served with custard or thick cream.

Browse more almond recipes.

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Ingredients

175g softened butter
150g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 medium eggs
220g self-raising flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp grated nutmeg
140ml soured cream
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
50g ground almonds
2 firm pears, such as Comice
A little lemon juice

For the almond crunch topping

50g butter
50g light muscavado sugar
2 tbsp double cream
75g flaked or slivered almonds

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Method

Line a 20cm springform tin with non-stick baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4.
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with the second egg. Sift the remaining flour, a pinch of salt, bicarbonate of soda and the nutmeg together. Fold half the flour into the creamed mixture. Fold in the soured cream, zest and almonds, then the remaining flour.
Peel, core and slice the pears. Toss with lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Spread half of the cake mixture over the base of the tin, cover with the pears, then the remaining cake mixture. Bake for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the almond topping. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the sugar and cream, then stir in the almonds.
Remove the cake from the oven and pour the almond mixture evenly over the top. Bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is toffee-coloured and a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake. Remove and serve warm or cold.