Pear gingerbread cake

Prep 25 mins | Cook 1 hr 20 mins | Serves 8

This delicious moist cake can be served with ice-cream or whipped cream.

250g unsalted butter, chopped + extra for greasing
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
¾ cup golden syrup
3 medium Beurre Bosc pears
1 free-range egg (at room temperature)
1 cup milk
1⅓ cups plain flour
1⅓ cups self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2½ tsp ground ginger

To serve:
2 tbs chopped walnuts and maple syrup, for drizzling

Step 1 Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 25cm spring-form pan with baking paper.

Step 2 Combine butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small saucepan and cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat until mixture is smooth. Pour into a large heat-proof bowl. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Step 3 Meanwhile, quarter pears lengthways then cut lengthways into thin wedges. Arrange pears in a fan pattern over base of the pan.

Step 4 Whisk egg into butter mixture. Sift flours, bicarbonate of soda and ginger together. Using a large metal spoon, stir half the flour mixture into butter mixture with half the milk and mix well. Stir in remaining flour mixture and milk until combined.

Step 5 Spoon over pears and smooth top. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer in the centre. Stand in pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. To serve, sprinkle with walnuts and drizzle with maple syrup. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Good for you ... Beurre Bosc Pears
Beurre Bosc Pears

A good source of dietary fibre which contributes to normal laxation.

Provide vitamin C, which contributes to the normal functioning of the body’s immune system.

Pears have a low GI (33-41), which means their natural sugars are broken down slowly for absorption into the bloodstream.