Old Fashioned Almond Pear Cake Food

ITALIAN PEAR ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375° F.
• Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and white sugar together at medium speed until pale in colour and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl between eggs (be sure to get all the way to the bottom of the bowl, where unincorporated butter can hide.. With the mixer on low, mix in the all purpose flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Spoon the batter into the prepared springform pan and use a spatula to even out the mixture. (Batter will be thick and fill the pan only to about an inch thick).
• Prepare pears, by peeling, then cutting in half from the stem end to the bottom. Use a small spoon to remove the core and also scrape away the thick spine that runs up to the stem end. Set aside.
• Arrange the pear halves in a circle on the top, cut side down and with the thin end towards the centre of the cake. Sprinkle flaked almonds over-top. Bake in pre-heated 375° oven for about 35 minutes, or until the cake tests clean when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake.
• Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin, then run a knife around the outside and carefully remove the ring and base. Dust with icing/confectioners' sugar before serving.

OLD-FASHIONED ALMOND PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the pears, ginger and lemon juice; set aside., In another bowl, beat the eggs, confectioners' sugar, butter and extract until blended. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually beat into egg mixture until blended. Stir in pear mixture., Transfer to a greased 9-in. springform pan; sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.

PEAR ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour 9-inch springform cake pan.
• Toss pears with juice of half a lemon and set aside.
• Cream 8 tablespoons of butter with 3/4 cup of sugar. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add to batter, stirring lightly. Add remaining lemon juice and almond extract.
• Spread batter in prepared pan and cover with sliced pears, arranging decoratively if you wish. Dot with 1 tablespoon of remaining butter. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and scatter almonds on top. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and dot with remaining butter. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly before removing sides of pan. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream.

OLD-FASHIONED PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Coat a 10-in. fluted tube pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, yogurt, oil, egg whites and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves; gradually beat into yogurt mixture until blended. Stir in pears and pecans., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.