Our home is somewhat of a recovery center at the moment. In the hope of recuperating from a nasty bout of stomach bug we are spending the day snuggled on the sofa, reading, resting, napping, sipping water and finding comfort in this pear and almond skillet cake.
When I am sick it’s my childhood favourites that console me most and one that always offers much needed reassurance is cinnamon. The moment I smell the wonderful fragrance of cinnamon as it bakes I know that comfort and healing are not too far away. And this pear and almond skillet cake is heady in that wonderful comforting spice of cinnamon along with a luscious amount of vanilla bean paste, lemon zest and a layer of perfectly ripe pears.
And thanks to the lovely golden, crusty, flaked almond layer of sugar and cinnamon this pear and almond skillet cake is the epitome of comfort. As we nibble on thin slices snuggled under blankets on the sofa I can feel the healing begin.
This pear and almond skillet cake begins by combining the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar and almond meal in a bowl and mixing to combine.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.
In a medium jug the wet ingredients; butter milk, eggs, vanilla are combined and poured into the well of the dry ingredients.
Add the melted butter and lemon zest and stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into a lined 24centimeter cake pan.
Chop pears and arrange on top of cake batter.
Sprinkle with flaked almonds, extra cinnamon and sugar and pop into a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan and allowing to cool completely.
We snuggled on the sofa this morning enjoying a lovely little slice of the pear and almond skillet cake alongside some orange segments and fresh strawberries.
Pear and almond skillet cake
Adapted from Australian Gourmet Traveller
INGREDIENTS
1 cup caster sugar, plus extra for scattering
1 ½ cups plain flour
1/3 cup almond meal
2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for scattering
1½ tsp baking powder
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
3 eggs
40 gm butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lemon, zested
2 pears, thickly sliced
40 gm flaked almonds
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, make a well in the centre and add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Stir to combine. Add melted butter and lemon zest and stir to combine until you have formed a smooth batter. Spoon into a buttered 24cm-diameter deep ovenproof frying pan (or 24 centimeter cake pan lined with baking paper). Cut pears into sixths, arrange on top and scatter with flaked almonds, extra sugar and extra cinnamon. Bake until golden and a skewer withdraws clean (15-20 minutes).
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Hi! I just tried this recipe a few days ago and it turned out delicious, but I found I needed to cook it an extra 20-25 minutes. I kept checking it every 5 minutes after the first 20 minutes of baking and it just continued very gooey in the center for a long while. I’m in the U.S., so baked at 350 F. Could there be an error in the cooking time of the recipe, or do you think this is just due to differences of different ovens, different cooking pans, etc.?
Thanks for sharing all the great recipes – I am loving your blog and the photos of your sweet little girl. 🙂
Hi! The cooking time can vary greatly with this cake because of the moisture content of the pears. The riper the pears, the longer the cake takes to cook through. Also, the type of pan and whether your oven is fan forced will also alter the cooking time. I am glad you kept your eye on the cake and were able to cook it perfectly. And I am so happy to hear you’re enjoying my blog and recipes! Happy cooking! X