This moist cake is filled with fresh pears and finished with a crisp cinnamon-sugar topping. Soft and simple, it’s the perfect cake for afternoon coffee or tea hour – especially in fall or winter.

Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus 40 minutes baking)

What you need:

1 stick (115g) butter, room temperature (not melted!)

¾ cup (150g) sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups (175g) plain white flour

¾ cup (75g) almond meal

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (120ml) whole milk

3 medium-sized pears, peeled and chopped into ½ inch (1 cm) cubes

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

How to do it:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Butter a 8-inch (20cm) round cake pan and dust with flour to prevent sticking. A traditional spring form works well.

In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and combine. 

Add flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt, along with the milk. Gently mix together on low speed, making sure everything is well combined.

In a separate bowl, mix pear pieces with cinnamon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add pears to cake batter and gently stir.

Pour batter into the baking form and smooth the top with a spatula. 

For the topping, add butter in a separate bowl and melt it in the heating oven. When the butter is melted take it out and add the sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.

Drizzle over the top of the cake batter. Use a knife to gently swirl mixture into the cake batter. 

Put into the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Leave cake to cool for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!

For more delicious recipes, go to https://collegeculinary.com/