Pear gingerbread cake

Prep 25 mins | Cook 1 hr 20 mins | Serves 8

This delicious moist cake can be served with ice-cream or whipped cream.

250g unsalted butter, chopped + extra for greasing
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
¾ cup golden syrup
3 medium Beurre Bosc pears
1 free-range egg (at room temperature)
1 cup milk
1⅓ cups plain flour
1⅓ cups self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2½ tsp ground ginger

To serve:
2 tbs chopped walnuts and maple syrup, for drizzling

Step 1 Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 25cm spring-form pan with baking paper.

Step 2 Combine butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small saucepan and cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat until mixture is smooth. Pour into a large heat-proof bowl. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Step 3 Meanwhile, quarter pears lengthways then cut lengthways into thin wedges. Arrange pears in a fan pattern over base of the pan.

Step 4 Whisk egg into butter mixture. Sift flours, bicarbonate of soda and ginger together. Using a large metal spoon, stir half the flour mixture into butter mixture with half the milk and mix well. Stir in remaining flour mixture and milk until combined.

Step 5 Spoon over pears and smooth top. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer in the centre. Stand in pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. To serve, sprinkle with walnuts and drizzle with maple syrup. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Good for you ... Beurre Bosc Pears

A good source of dietary fibre which contributes to normal laxation.

Provide vitamin C, which contributes to the normal functioning of the body’s immune system.

Pears have a low GI (33-41), which means their natural sugars are broken down slowly for absorption into the bloodstream.