Spiced layer cake with pears
The slightly sour crème fraîche icing ensures a perfect balance between the cake and the syrupy pears.
Makes 1 x 22cm cake Preparation time: 40 minutes Baking time: 20–25 minutes Oven temperature: 180°C
• 625ml (350g) flour • 425ml (360g) castor sugar • 10ml bicarbonate of soda • 10ml cinnamon • 5ml nutmeg • 5ml mixed spice • 3ml ground ginger • 250ml oil • 2 eggs • 400ml medium-fat yoghurt ICING • 460ml crème fraîche • 30ml castor sugar (or to taste) • 15ml lemon juice • zest of 1 lemon CARAMEL PEARS • about 6 medium-sized pears, ripe but not too soft • 45ml butter • 25ml Old Brown sherry • 60ml honey, plus extra to taste
1 Preheat the oven. Grease 3 sandwich tins with non-stick spray and line them with baking paper. Sift the dry ingredients together and whisk the oil, eggs and yoghurt together. Combine the dry and wet mixtures and mix until just smooth. Divide the batter between the tins. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Carefully turn out the cakes and leave to cool on a wire rack.
2 Meanwhile, increase the oven temperature to between 200°C and 220°C. Cut the pears into 5mm-thick slices and remove any seeds. Spread them out in a roasting pan and dot with the butter; sprinkle the sherry and honey over. You can now also add a pinch of cinnamon and star anise, but remember the cakes are already spicy. Bake the pears for about 15 minutes, turn the slices over and bake for another 10–15 minutes (depending on how ripe the pears are – you’ll soon see when they are ready).
3 Place the crème fraîche, castor sugar, lemon juice and zest in a mixing bowl and beat with a balloon whisk until combined.
4 To assemble Spread the icing over all three cake layers, spoon the pears on top and stack the layers on top of each other. Drizzle a little extra honey over to glaze – and put on the kettle for tea...