Description
With almond extract in the batter and a topping of hazelnuts, pine nuts and whipped cream, this pear cake is simple, but simply stunning.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan)
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (4.5 ounces cake flour, plus more for dusting the pan)
- ½ cup whole milk (at room temperature)
- 3 large egg whites (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (6.1 ounces sugar)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ripe clapp pears (or other soft pear variety, like anjou or bartlett, halved and cored)
for the topping:
- Click the link above.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch* springform cake pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust the inside of the whole pan with cake flour, tapping out any excess. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk, egg whites, and extracts together until combined. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and beat on medium, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, without powdery streaks of flour. Add all but ¼ cup of the milk mixture and beat on medium for 1 – 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the remaining milk mixture, and beat on medium for another 30 seconds.
- Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and arrange the halved pears on top (cut sides down) so they are evenly spaced. Transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes*. Allow to cool in the cake pan for 10 – 15 minutes, before releasing the spring and removing. Let cool completely.
- Make the topping, click the link above.
Notes
cake recipe adapted from cook’s illustrated white layer cake
* I baked my cake with a 7.5-inch cake pan. If you have that size, use it, otherwise the baking time shouldn’t change much with an 8-inch.
- Category: Baking, Cake, Dessert