Pear and almond cake

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipes Pear and almond pudding cake recipe

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Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

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Date Published:
17/11/2009

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall rustles up a perfect pud with this pear and almond concoction

Watch the video of Hugh making this pear and almond cake

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 150g unsalted butter, softened
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 75g wholemeal self raising flour
  • 75g ground almonds
  • A good pinch of cinnamon

For the caramelised pears:

  • 3 pears (reasonably firm, but not rock hard)
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar

Method: How to make pear and almond cake

1. Preheat oven to 170°C/gas 3. Grease a 20cm-diameter springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.

2. Peel, core and quarter the pears.

3. Melt the 25g butter in a frying pan big enough to take all the pear pieces, over a medium high heat. When it’s bubbling, add the sugar and stir gently until it has dissolved into the butter. Add the pears and cook gently, turning once or twice, until they have softened and are starting to colour – 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

4. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each to stop the mix curdling.

5. Combine the remaining flour, the ground almonds and the cinnamon, and fold into the mixture. Scrape into the prepared tin. Arrange the pears on top and pour on any buttery juices left in the pan.

6. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

7. Stand the cake in its tin on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, then release the tin. Serve the cake warm with clotted cream – or cold.

Not quite the cake you were looking for? Try these:

Chocolate cake with toffee sauce
Jamie's mega chocolate fudge cake
Cook Yourself Thin beetroot chocolate fudge cake
Easy coconut and chocolate cake
Rose petal chocolate cake

Most popular Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipes:

Hugh's chicken kievs
Hugh's mum's shepherd's pie
Hugh's elderflower champagne
Hugh's wholemeal carrot and honey cake
Hugh's chocolate and beetroot brownies



© River Cottage

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Comments

  1. Many thanks for such an incredible recipe. I was pleasantly surprised how something so easy to make could look and taste divine. My guests raved about it for hours.
    Posted by Lisa Wilde on 22/11/2009 21:33:52
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  2. Hugh, I have never in my life baked anything other than a potatoe or pasta and said well lets give this pear and almond cake a lash. So with the recipe printed of and in hand I set out and scoured the shops for cooking tin and mixing bowl and then then to the supermarket for the ingredients. So on saturday morning I ask my friends mum how I grease and line a cake tin so once I had the lowdown on this I followed the recipe but as I didnt have a scale to measure 150g of flour I improvised by emptying the 200g packet of ground almonds into a measuring jug and reading what the line read and guesstimated what 150g would be and worked from there. So after the cake mixture began to take shape it was dropped into the cake tin and into the over. My over is old and I believe it does not hold the heat well as it took my cake 1hr 30min on gas mark 3.5 to fully bake the cake. So when I turned it out the grin on my face was priceless and when I took the plung and cut a warm slice and began eating it I was amazed with myself. So my interest in making bread or a fruit cake is now growing so if you are planning any of these in your future shows then I will be giving it a go. PS I used the recipe that appeared on this site and not the reduced recipe.
    Posted by Matthew Canning on 22/11/2009 19:43:17
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  3. I just made this cake with a few alterations [i have a tendency to start baking before checking i have the correct ingredients]. I used white flour, two tsp of cinnamon and oriental pears as well as swapping the cane sugar for 75g of frutose. Absolutely gorgeous!! Thanks
    Posted by Janice on 22/11/2009 17:51:42
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  4. I have got a 23cm tin - what quantities for the pear/almond cake should I use? Can somebody tell me please? I didnt realise the amounts had been reduced. Thanks Robyn
    Posted by Robyn on 22/11/2009 17:15:01
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  5. This was devine. We found that it was better if you cooked it, and kept in a tin for a day - the butter had a chance to do its magic then. Easy to make as well. Thanks.
    Posted by Sharon Robinson on 21/11/2009 11:09:20
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  6. Hugh, When i saw you make this cake i thought i've got to have a go at this it looked so easy low and behold it turned out great thanks Hugh.
    Posted by Roy Payne on 19/11/2009 13:06:48
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  7. The quantities for the pastry are from the 2007 recipe. I discovered it after making notes during the programme and decided to compromise by using 2/3 of the original quantities (3 eggs, 200g butter, 100g each flour and almonds, plus sugar to taste). Seeing the new measures I thought this might fit my 23cm cake tin, but it's in fact just enough for my 17cm tin. There is some confusion here, I think!
    Posted by Denni on 18/11/2009 19:21:07
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  8. Why have you halved the unit measures for the ingrediants of the pear/almond cake? Last week it was double the quantities in a 23 cm tin and came out perfectly. Last night, my daughter followed your reduced measures on this weeks web page and the cake was a disappointment. That aside, I've only just discovered the pleasures of baking through watching last week's tv programme for the first time and also found your brilliant website -I've gone out and bought a load of baking gear having found a new hobby! I'll probably be writing in again in a few months time to comment about my increased girth. Seriously, its a very well constructed site and thoroughly entertaining - WELL DONE! Regards Stephen Levy http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/pear-and-almond-pudding-cake-recipe_p_1.html
    Posted by stephen levy on 18/11/2009 15:28:13
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  9. Could I substitute the wheat flour for the Doves wheat free flour to make a wheat-free version? I'm guessing it would work given that it's a moist cake with the fruit and almonds.
    Posted by wheatfree on 18/11/2009 14:14:59
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  10. I love your programme and I am going to make this with gluton free flour and brown sugar ,may try it with apples as well, will test it on my friends and will let you know the outcome ,looking forward to the end result ,thanks for the recipe Celia
    Posted by Celia Walker on 18/11/2009 14:01:45
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  11. Great great programe! Am going to try the pear and almond pudding cake as my husband loves almond. I was interested in the collecting of mushrooms. We have loads here and I tried to look them up on the www but it was too difficult to decide if they might not be the edible kind so dare not risk it. Can anyone recommend a good mushroom book please.
    Posted by jennie lummis on 18/11/2009 11:54:12
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  12. I'm about to try this recipe out with my 3 year old daughter in anticipation to use next week with my Sticky Fingers group (cooking and eating with families with children under 5 years)to encourage them to try new and tasty recipes with fruit and vegetable that are in season! Looking forward to tasting this one!
    Posted by Becky and Poppy on 18/11/2009 10:03:17
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  13. Best Cake I have ever tasted made by Sam and Tim xx
    Posted by Sarah on 18/11/2009 06:46:06
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  14. Hi Hugh tasted your pear and almond cake at a friends house this morning it was fantastic so have just printed off the recipe. Will be on your website regular,I live in France but you cant beat an English recipe.
    Posted by val nixon on 17/11/2009 19:25:29
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  15. Hi there - there have been a number of comments regarding this delicious-looking River Cottage recipe. River Cottage have now sent us this final 20cm cake version above, with a cooking time of 170 degrees and a 40-50 minute cooking time. We hope you enjoy it! Kind regards, 4Food Ed
    Posted by 4Food Ed on 17/11/2009 14:46:17
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  16. Made the pear and almond cake yesterday for friends. Fantastic! Served it with home made warm butterscotch sauce and watched it disappear.Definitely one to make again and again. Would be good with vanilla ice cream too. It took longer to cook than recipe stated but worth the wait.
    Posted by Anne Black on 16/11/2009 19:12:29
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  17. Great cake. Easy to follow instructions. Loved the caramel flavour of the outside edges. I willbe making it again I think!!
    Posted by Roz on 16/11/2009 08:01:29
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  18. Hi Hugh, just writing to say that i tried your cake recipe, but with a twist, i used apples instead, it was a great success, thanks for the insperation. Cant wait for the next episode.
    Posted by Matt Wilkins on 15/11/2009 20:40:57
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  19. Lovely Jubbly.... all the family liked it, and they said they didn't like pears..!
    Posted by stef on 15/11/2009 18:17:07
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  20. Only one word: SUPERB!
    Posted by French fancy on 15/11/2009 16:35:07
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  21. Hugh, It's 8.30pm on Friday night and after a couple of beers we've had a go at this recipe....it's in the oven now...can't wait... stand by for the Conosseur verdict !!!!
    Posted by Howdys on 13/11/2009 20:39:30
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  22. Just made the pear and almond cake - as you say, why wait for it to cool? Absolutely delicious. have to make another now to share!! So simple a recipe and yet so delightful a result. Thank-you and best wishes Jayne x
    Posted by jayne on 13/11/2009 15:29:25
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  23. my husband and me just loved the program last night . brought back memories of our mothers cooking tongue and skirting etc... bought a ham hough and split peas today also ground almonds for that pear and almond cake . going to try them both ..
    Posted by poppy on 13/11/2009 15:08:27
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  24. HI HUGH JUST WANTED TO SAY ANOTHER GREAT SERIES ON THE WAY LOVED THE FIRST EPISODE TONIGHT, FOR WINTER AT RIVER COTTAGE, MY HUSBAND AND SON GET ALL FIRED UP WANTING TO GET OUT THERE AND COLLECT FOR COOKING GREAT THURSDAY NIGHTS VIEWING. WE WOULD BE VISITING OFTEN IT YOU HAD A RESTAURANT ETC UP OUR WAY THANK YOU ELIZABETH CLYDEBANK,SCOTLAND
    Posted by ELIZABETH on 12/11/2009 21:50:32
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