Stem Ginger and Pear Cake

This stem ginger and pear cake is so easy to make, resulting in a top layer of pear, a very moist cake texture and lots of warm, cosy spice and ginger flavours. We love using stem ginger when baking sweet things, and this cake gives a perfect result. It is now one of my favourites to bake.

Adding fruit to a cake mix generally means that not only is it delicious for morning or afternoon teas with friends and family, it can also be served as a delicious dessert. It is a large cake, enough for 10 people, so is a perfect dessert if catering for a large group. Pear and ginger are a delicious combination. 

This cake will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. Ours has been in the frig all week with Mr. HRK and I just enjoying a slice each day with a coffee. During our Northern tropical heat, this style of cake really needs to be refrigerated after the first day it is baked. It then becomes very moist, because of the fruit, but oh so delicious still. It could also be reheated if required for dessert. It's nice and versatile, and adding some more fruit to our diet.

Cooking notes and back story:

• When cooked the cake will pull away from the sides of the pan, but the surface may be uneven. I think this is a consequence of the pear slowly sinking to the bottom during cooking. This won't matter as when the cake is turned over onto the serving plate, the surface will be perfectly flat. 
• This cake could be made with rhubarb as well or probably even apple.
• Each year when we harvest our ginger crop, I make a batch of Tropical Stem Ginger in Syrup. The jars of Stem Ginger then sit in my refrigerator until we've used all of it. I love using the Stem Ginger when I make ginger biscuits, or my Ginger Syrup cake or with ice-cream. However, it is quite accessible to buy off the shelf these days as well. Having said all of this, the addition of stem ginger is optional. I added this to the original recipe, I love the added ginger zing it brings.
• No stand mixer required for this cake. It's about adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, as easy as that.
• I have adapted the original recipe for this cake from delicious.com.au, and I have also drawn inspiration from my Ginger Syrup cake recipe.  

Stem Ginger in Syrup

 Ingredients:

Serves 10

225 g unsalted butter, chopped

200 g brown sugar

350 g golden syrup

280 g plain flour

1 tbs ground ginger

1 teaspoon mixed spice

Pinch fine salt

1 tsp each ground cinnamon, baking powder, and bicarb soda

1 cup (250ml) milk

1 tablespoon finely chopped stem ginger in syrup, drained from syrup (if you really like ginger, make it two tablespoons) (optional)

2 eggs at room temperature

2 large fresh pears (420 g), peeled, cored, and cut into 1 cm cubes ( I added 320 g of fresh pear after they were peeled and cored)

Creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt to serve

Chopped pear

Method:

Preheat your oven to 190 deg. C/170 deg C fan-forced.

Grease a firm bottomed 20 cm cake pan ( not springform) and line with baking paper 3 cm above the rim of the pan.

Select a medium saucepan, and place the butter, sugar and golden syrup in the pan over a medium heat, and stir it all until smooth and combined.

Into another large bowl, add the flour, spices, baking powder, bicarb and a pinch of fine salt, and sift it all through together so it is well mixed.

Add the milk and eggs to a jug and whisk until combined.

Pour the butter mixture slowly into the dry ingredients whisking as you go. 

When almost combined add the milk and egg mixture and stir until it is quite smooth ( be careful not to overmix as the cake could toughen up.) Mine was beautifully soft.

Pour half the mixture into your lined pan, sprinkle the chopped stem ginger over the surface, then top with the rest of the cake mixture.

Now top the mixture with the chopped pear (the pear will slowly sink to the bottom when cooking.)

Bake for 40 minutes.

Cover the the cake lightly with alfoil and bake for a further 40 minutes. Test that it is cooked with a skewer., which will come out clean if cooked.

Rest your cake on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn it out upside down onto a serving plate.

The pear will be on top of the cake, which will have a smooth surface.

Served your cake warm if possible with creme fraiche, ice-cream or yoghurt depending on the occasion. However, it is also delicious to eat when cooled.

Warm wishes

Pauline