Italian Pear Almond Cake for Cristina’s Bday
This Italian pear and almond cake is the one I make when I want to impress without stressing, Happy Bday Cristina!
I met Cristina at Carol’s home in Point Loma, San Diego, and I loved both of them from the first day. Carol mentioned Cristina’s birthday was coming up, and I jumped in and offered to make her an Italian cake — a recipe I’d learned a while back, and I thought it’d be perfect for her since she’s the sweetest Italian I’ve ever met.
Here is the website I’ve got the recipe from, check it out: https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/italian-pear-almond-cake/
Ingredients
- 9 Tablespoons (125g) butter, salted or unsalted, at room temperature. If using unsalted, add a small pinch of salt to the batter (1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon)
- 9 Tablespoons (125g) white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 6Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (50g) all purpose flour
- 1 1/4cups (100g) ground almonds, not almond flour
- 1/2teaspoons baking powder
- 3medium pears, ripe but still firm, peeled, cored and halved lengthwise
- 1/3cup (50g) flaked almonds
- Icing/confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C (not fan-assisted).
- Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each and scraping down the bowl in between — make sure to reach the very bottom, where unmixed butter likes to hide. With the mixer on low, mix in the flour, ground almonds, and baking powder. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out with a spatula. It’ll be thick and only fill the pan to about an inch deep.
- Peel the pears, then halve them from stem to base. Use a small spoon to scoop out the core and trim away the tough fibrous line running up toward the stem. Set aside.
- Arrange the pear halves cut-side down in a circle on top of the batter, with the narrow ends pointing toward the center. Scatter the flaked almonds over the top. Bake for about 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then run a knife around the edge and carefully release the ring and base. Dust with icing sugar right before serving.
