Spelt Pear Cake

Sue Maree P -

My Spelt pear cake is a variation on my apple cake recipe. This is a new recipe I recently invented. I often invent new recipes when I am looking to use up ingredients; this is how I came up with this delicious spiced pear cake. However, if you don't have any pears in the house, you could swap out and use any type of apple and the cake would still taste equally delicious. I have used my favourite baking flour – Spelt flour and added a little extra zing using fresh root ginger, ginger powder and crystallised ginger on the top.

*Spelt flour is a good source of fibre. The texture is light and airy like wheat flour and can be substituted in baking cakes, cookies, pancakes and bread for a healthier alternative to wheat flour.

Ingredients

  • 200g sugar light brown
  • 125g unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 3 small pears peeled & chopped + 1 pear peeled and sliced for the top
  • 3 eggs
  • 300g spelt flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger powder (optional)
  • 1 tsp fresh root ginger grated (optional)
  • 125ml + 2tbsp oat milk (add a little at a time)
  • 50g Crystallised ginger on top (optional)
  • 2 tsp brown sugar on top (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat oven 180˚C or 160˚C fan-forced. Line and or grease your cake tin.
  2. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  3. Then add 3 eggs one at a time.
  4. In a separate bowl, add flour, spices and baking powder and whisk until combined.
  5. Slowly add the flour mixture, plus a little milk into your bowl in three parts. Before you finish the final flour mix, toss your chopped pear into the flour and coat – this will prevent the pears from falling to the bottom of your cake. Add the fresh ginger either now or after the eggs.
  6. Mix until combined, but do not over mix.
  7. Pour into your prepare tin, top with sliced pear, 2 tsp brown sugar and chopped crystallised ginger pieces.
  8. Bake for 50-60 mins until your cake skewer comes out clean. This would work well in loaf tin – bake 50mins, round tin bake 40-45 mins, square tin 35-4o mins.
  9. Rest until cool before slicing.