Pear Cake

This cake is really moist and a great way to use up ripe pears!

• 175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened
• 175g/6oz caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped
• 50g/2oz plain chocolate

Icing sugar to decorate (optional)

If you want a chocolatey sponge swap 1tbsp flour for 1tbsp cocoa powder

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160C, 325F, Gas 3.

Grease and line a standard loaf tin.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Gradually beat in the eggs.

Stir in the vanilla extract and chopped pears until well combined.

Sieve in the flour and carefully fold into the mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.

Bake in the preheated oven for about an hour until firm to the touch.

Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Drizzle the chocolate over the cooled cake.

When the chocolate is set sieve a little icing sugar over the top (optional).

Store in an airtight container.