
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup -butter
• 1/2 cup -caster Sugar
• 2 – eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups – flour
• 1 tbsp – baking powder
• 2 tbsp – Milk
• 2 – cardamoms, crushed
• 1/3 cup – walnuts, chopped
• 1 tbsp -poppy seeds
• 575 g -dessert pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• For decoration:
• 3 – Walnut halves
• 3 tbsp -honey
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degree C. Reserve one-third of the pear slices and chop the rest.
- In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar, till pale and light.
- Gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until incorporated.
- Sift flour and baking powder together and fold in with the milk.
- Stir in the cardamom powder, chopped nuts and poppy seeds.
- Fold the chopped pears, into the creamed mixture.
- Transfer to a greased and lined baking tin.
- Smooth the surface, making a small dip in the centre.
- Place three walnut halves, in the centre of the cake mixture and fan the reserved pear slices, around the walnuts, covering the cake mixture. Bake for 1-1/2 hours or until a skewer, inserted in the centre, comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and brush with honey. Cool in the tin, for 20 minutes and transfer to a wire rack, to cool completely.
- This cake can be stored for several days, if kept in an airtight container.
- You can wrap and freeze it as well.
- Defrost at room temperature before serving.
- Recipe Courtesy: Mareena’s Recipe Collections