Pear & Ginger Cake

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This is a deliciously simple cake to make which was my standby for the tea tent at our daughters' school on match days where it was always well received.  I was asked for the recipe on many occasions.  It takes mere minutes to make & is perfect for autumn.  It’s delicious with a mug of tea when tidying the garden or with custard as a pudding for Sunday lunch.  It will keep for 3-4 days in a tin & freezes brilliantly but it will probably disappear too quickly for that!

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INGREDIENTS

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​100 g butter

250 g self-raising flour

1 level tsp baking powder

2 level tsp mixed spice (you can adjust to suit)

110 g golden caster sugar

50 g crystalised or stem ginger cut into small dice (appox 0.5 cm)

3-4 firm pears, peeled & diced (around 300g chopped weight)

3 large eggs, beaten

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Preheat the oven to 180º C/Fan 160º C/Gas Mark 4

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Grease & line a deep 21 cm/8" cm loose-bottomed sandwich tin.

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Melt butter in a small pan & remove from the heat.  Put the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, 100 g of the sugar, the chopped ginger & the diced pears & mix to combine.  Add the eggs & butter to the dry ingredients & mix.

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Stir well & pour into prepared tin, put on a baking tray & bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown & springy to the touch.

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Leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin & cooling on a rack.  Sprinkle with the remaining sugar & serve.