Spiced pear & hazelnut crumble cake

Interestingly one of the main spices in mixed spice is ground coriander. Not a spice we may associate with a sweet spice mix, but it is there and can be used in sweet recipes quite well. Here, I use it with the crumble topping to add a little extra spice and intrigue to a cake that is humming with a subtle warmth. Perfect for these sunny autumn days with an edge of coolness in the mornings and evenings.

PREP TIME 30 minutes // COOK TIME 50 minutes // SERVES 10

• 120g soft butter, cubed

• 1/₃ cup (60g) packed brown sugar • 2 tbsp honey

• 3 free-range eggs

• 2 tbsp milk

• 1 cup (150g) plain flour – can use spelt or gluten-free

• 1 ½ tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp mixed spice • pinch of salt

• 1-2 pears, cut into thin wedges (peeled, optional)

Hazelnut crumble

• 40g butter

• 2 tbsp honey

• pinch of salt

1/₃ cup (50g) chopped

• hazelnuts

1/₃ cup (40g) rolled oats

•

1 tsp lightly crushed coriander

• seeds (or use ½ tsp ground coriander)

1. Heat the oven to 170°C (fan 150°C). Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.

2. Make the crumble. Melt together the butter, honey and pinch of salt. Once gently bubbling remove from the heat. Add the hazelnuts, oats and coriander and combine. Set aside while preparing the cake batter. 3. Place the soft cubed butter into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Or use a large bowl and electric beaters. Add the sugar and honey and mix until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

4. Combine the flours, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl, whisking to combine and remove lumps. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl along with the milk. Use a spatula to fold together until just combined. Scoop into the tin, tapping on the bench to stabilise the batter. Evenly top with overlapping pear slices then scatter over the hazelnut crumble.

5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean (check the middle of the cake). Cover with a sheet of foil after 30-40 minutes if needed to prevent the crumble burning. The cake needs a longer cooking time to soften the pear.

6. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. This cake is wonderful served warm with yoghurt on the side. Can also be served cold and keeps well for a few days in an airtight container.