Everyday Pear Cake

Serves 6 to 8

This is my husband’s favourite cake. It’s perfect if you have a lot of ripe pears to use up – a pear is never better than just before it goes bad.

3 large eggs 150g granulated sugar 150g plain flour 30g cornflour 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt

tsp vanilla extract

90g unsalted butter, melted 4 to 5 ripe medium pears, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

Icing sugar, for serving Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line the base of a 23cm springform tin with baking parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until light in colour and fluffy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt. Whisk into the egg mixture, followed by the vanilla and melted butter. Fold in the pears with their juices. Pour the batter into the tin. Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes before turning out and peeling away the parchment. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar.