We’re starting to enjoy the last summer pears, while fellow baker, Haalo, is coming to the middle of winter pears, but recently cake was on both our minds. A mildly sweetened batter atop thick slices of ripe pears baked up into a light, moist cake. It’s a quick recipe that’s essentially a half step away… from cornbread.
Cardamom Pear Cake
- 1/2 c. fine cornmeal
- 1/2 c. white flour
- 1/2 c. whole meal flour
- 1/2 c. almonds, ground
- 1/2 c. white sugar
- 1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 5 whole cardamom pods
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp. baking powder
- 2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds
- 1/4 c. oil
- 1/3 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 c. milk
- 50 ml Tallinn Vana liquor
- 5 ripe pears
- Preheat oven to about 350° degrees.
- First, wash and slice pears to a desired thickness. Lay them in the bottom of a non-stick, springform pan.
- Assemble the dry ingredients, leaving aside 2 Tbsp. brown sugar. Thoroughly combine dry ingredients, as once you add your liquids, your stirring should be limited.
- Add your liquid ingredients, including liquor. Tallinn Vana is a sweet rum-esque liquor. Stir sparingly, but thoroughly incorporate the dry ingredients with the liquid.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 Tbsp. brown sugar on top of pears, then smooth cake batter over sugared fruit.
Bake for forty-five to fifty minutes, until cake pulls slightly away from pan edges, and a toothpick test comes out clean. Let the cake sit for ten minutes before flipping it onto a platter. Be sure and remove the cake while it is still hot, or the pears will weld themselves to the pan.
This is a very soft cake, and if your pears are perfectly ripe, they will break down to pearsauce. Not to worry! Though the cake will always be quite moist, it will regain a bit of solidity as it cools. A vanilla-bean ice cream is the perfect compliment to this cake when warm, or a nice cup of Almond Sunset tea is a flavorful accompaniment as well.
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Oh wow, that cake looks amazing. I am drooling over here. Was the liquor from your trip to Estonia?
Yep! The liquor was what we spent our last few EEKs on at the airport. That and some chocolate, but you already know about that. 🙂
That looks absolutely delectable! Now I wish I had pears instead of peaches on the tree!
What a super pretty cake! I have fresh pears right now, so this weekend will try it. Thanks!
Lovely, lovely cake!
Claudia: I think it would work wonderfully with peaches, too – just with a stiffer batter, maybe? That really sounds good, actually!
Elle: Do let us know how it turns out! What will you substitute for the Vana Tallinn? Just rum, maybe?
I’m not at all sure what the Vana added flavor; I didn’t taste it beforehand! I’d add some small amount of alcohol anyway — it’s evaporates at a different rate than the milk, and really helps keep the cake light. It’s a good trick for making a piecrust, too.
This is seriously wicked! I would love to have a slice of this. No, I have no intentions of making one, I want a slice from the cake I am seeing right now 🙂
What a lovely and elegant cake. Perfect for a dinner party.
Oh gawd, that looks better than sex! I love cardamom, and with pears, that combi can hardly be beaten. What a beautiful cake. So pretty.
oh yum! looks so beautiful! will have to test it out!
Damn that looks GOOD! 🙂
Beautiful cake — I’ve been wanting to make something with pears, but am waiting until the variety starts showing up in the fall. I’ve never heard of the liquor…