Pear and Ginger Cake
Photography by Todd Eyre.
In the latest of a series of cookbooks inspired by her grandma Dulcie May Booker, Natalie Oldfield's Love and Food at Gran's Table shares the recipes of over 60 grandmothers from around the world alongside those of her own, like this comforting cake.
INGREDIENTS
4 pears
½ cup wholemeal self-raising flour
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground ginger
185 grams butter, melted
½ cup water
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Topping
60 grams butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Gran was always baking a cake of some sort but one of my favourites was this pear and ginger cake that I shared with her in her later years. She loved to try new flavours, and there is nothing better than a slice of cake still warm from the oven served with cream for afternoon tea. Simply stunning.
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 23 cm (9 inch) cake tin and set aside.
Cake
Peel and slice 3 pears. Place wholemeal flour in a large bowl. Sift in self-raising flour, sugar and ground spices.
In a separate bowl, mix together butter, water, grated ginger and eggs. Pour liquid mixture into the dry mix and fold together, lastly folding in pears. Pour into tin.
Decorate top of cake with remaining pear, peeled and thinly sliced.
Topping
Melt butter and mix in dry ingredients. Pour over cake mixture. Bake for 1–1½ hours.
Serve warm with whipped cream. Makes 1 cake.
Love & Food
This recipe is an edited extract from Love & Food at Gran's Table by Natalie Oldfield, available now from all good bookstores, RRP $49.95.
Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
Related Content
RecipeGinger Roulade with Tamarind Glazed Mango and Mascarpone
Article by Claire Aldous
RecipeChocolate Dipped Candied Lemon Peel
Article by Claire Aldous
RecipeOrange and Ginger Cake with Ginger Syrup, Lychees and Pineapple
Article by Claire Aldous
RecipeSticky Pear and Ginger Pudding with Toffee Sauce
Article by Pippa Cuthbert
latest issue:
Issue #118
The most highly anticipated issue of dish for the year is HERE! Christmas just wouldn’t be complete without our annual festive magazine, a collector’s edition jam-packed with feasting fare. For 2024 we have compiled a selection of our favourite classics, with all the traditional dishes you know and love, with ham, salmon, beef and turkey galore. But this year, we’ve dialed the fun up a notch with loads more to delight – a long Italian Christmas lunch, festive Mexican-inspired fiesta and celebration ‘barbecue-style’. With options for vegetarians and a sensational selection of sides, there’s also show-stopping desserts to finish with flair. The Christmas issue of dish is ON SALE NOW!