Autumn is here everyone!! The tree’s are starting to turn their beautiful autumnal orange and red colours and my garden is slowly being covered in a blanket of leaves. I love the season, but the downside is that I have to go out with a rake and regularly clear up the leaves as the clog up everything, actually truth be told I’d rather be inside baking!
Speaking of baking, I whipped up this cake today because I absolutely adore pear (which I feel it is highly underrated as a fruit) and combined with the almond extract takes it to a whole new level of yumminess!! I guess I could also name it an autumn bakewell cake because it technically it s actually neither a frangipane or a bakewell due to how it is made yet tastes and reminds me of it, but regardless of the name it totally ticked a box for my guys who cannot get enough of this cake.
The cake itself is rather dense, it has to be to support the pears yet once cooked the juices infuse into the cake resulting in a gorgeously moist cake with a crunchy crisp crust. If you don’t fancy the pears standing up then simply slice them and stir through the batter before baking.
Serve warm with a blob of ice-cream (homemade of course!!) a drizzle of runny coconut cream or just as it comes!
Save to BigOven 
Using a tea strainer, sprinkle over a small amount of arrowroot powder for decoration (it's tasteless and looks utterly beautiful)
Ingredients
- 4 conference pears
- 100g (about 7-8) medjool dates - with pips removed
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 cups ground almonds
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- pinch of salt
- 1-2 tsp of arrowroot for decorating (fooled you, that is not actually icing sugar in the photo)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC
- Prepare a 20cm loose based baking tin - line the bottom with baking parchment and oil the sides
- Slice off the base of the pears so they are able to stand upright and using a potato peeler remove the skins.
- In a nutribullet or blender combine the dates, egg, oils, extract and vinegar and blitz.
- In a bowl mix together the ground almonds, arrowroot powder, bicarb and salt.
- Stir in the wet mixture and mix with a spoon.
- Transfer the batter into the baking tin and spread it evenly.
- Push the pears base first into the batter and using your finger neaten up around the neck of the pears.
- Bake for about 45min (it should be a golden colour all over the top) and either serve warm with ice-cream or leave to cool.
This is such a stunning recipe and photo spread. My mouth is watering!!!
Wow! That sounds delish AND looks amazing!
This is such a beautiful cake! I can’t believe it’s paleo!
What a beautiful looking cake!! I will definitely save this for when I’m making holiday desserts.
This is just amazing! I’m in awe! I am putting this on my list for Thanksgiving I think! Thank you!
Wow!!! Simply stunning! This cake is absolutely gorgeous and I bet so delicious too!
What a beautiful presentation!!!! LOVE it!
This cake looks unbelievable, and your photos are beyond gorgeous!
I love everything you make and bake on this blog !! I’m moving over !
Lovely. Just absolutely lovely!!
These pictures are just PERFECTION!!! What a special recipe for a special occasion ?
Absolutely gorgeous, Donna! I love autumnal desserts: apples, pears, pumpkin and so on, and this looks like a winner. Those pears sticking out like that…too pretty to eat.
Such a beautiful cake!!
Well just another delicious treat! Love your creative recipes and great photography!
You always have the most amazing photos!!! I adore pears, I can’t wait to make this!
Dang! I almost would not want to eat that as it looks so pretty! Notice I said almost 🙂
LOL – thank you so much Kelly xxD