Ingredients
| 170g unsalted butter, softened | |
| 200g brown sugar | |
| 2 eggs | |
| 125g plain flour | |
| 125g almond meal | |
| 2 teaspoons baking powder | |
| ½ teaspoon salt | |
| 2 teaspoons ground cardamom | |
| 100g dark chocolate (70% works perfectly in this), chopped | |
| 410g tin pear halves, drained of their juice |
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Instructions
| 1. | Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced. |
| 2. | Line the base of a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper. |
| 3. | Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes or until pale and fluffy. |
| 4. | Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. |
| 5. | In a separate bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt and cardamom and whisk to combine. |
| 6. | Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix until just combined. |
| 7. | Fold the chopped chocolate through the cake batter, then pour into the cake tin. |
| 8. | I like to take three slices of pear, lay them together, and stud them into the top of the cake mix, criss-crossing the pears around the top of the cake in a decorative manner. |
| 9. | Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. |
| 10. | Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a serving plate. |