My Pear Loaf Cake is the perfect sweet treat, suitable for any time of day. Made with the warm, aromatic spice combination of cinnamon and ginger, great companions with pears, we add some sour cream to the mixture to ensure a moist, tender texture. It is so quickly and easily made; you simply combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet in another, mix them together and bake.
300g(10.5 oz) pears – cut into 1.5 cm/ ½ inch pieces, we use Packham/Bartlett (approx. 2 medium pears)See Note 2
120g(½ cup) unsalted butter – melted and allowed to cool
1teaspoonvanilla extract
2largeeggs – at room temperature
180g(¾ cup) full-fat sour cream - at room temperature
For the Glaze:
90g(⅔ cup) icing/powdered sugar – sifted if necessary
4-5teaspoonwater - until desired consistency is achieved
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (355 degrees F).
Grease and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf tin (23 x 13 cm) – leave a little overhang of baking paper for easy removal.My tin has a depth of 2.5 inches (6.35 cm).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, sea salt and ground cinnamon, ginger and stir to combine. Add the chopped pears to the dry ingredients, and toss until combined.
In a smaller bowl, combine the cooled melted butter, vanilla, eggs and sour cream and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Add your wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. The mixture will be very thick.
Add the cake batter to your prepared tin, and smooth out using an off-set spatula. Tap the tin a few times gently on the kitchen bench to get any air bubbles out.
Bake in your preheated oven for 55-65 minutes – my cake took 60 minutes -until a skewer comes out cleanly.
Cool for 15 minutes in the tin before gently removing to a cooling rack. I find it easier to slightly tilt the tin to the left over the rack and pull the paper as I gently ease the cake out. Allow the Pear Loaf to cool completely before adding the glaze. Once the glaze has set, slice the cake into 8 pieces.
Notes
Measurements: for the most accurate measurements when baking, we suggest you weigh your ingredients.
Pears: this is the prepared weight of the pears once they have been cut up. Use a pear that is ideal for cooking - one that is firm and not overripe.
Storage: should there happen to be any leftovers, store them at cool room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. But if the climate is hot, store the container in the fridge.
Freezing: wrap in cling wrap and then in foil or place in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You may find it more convenient to freeze and wrap individual slices. Make sure they are well wrapped to prevent freezer burn and bring to room temperature for serving.