This Italian pear cake is so elegant in its simplicity. Italian cakes, homemade-every-day-cakes were very rarely, if ever, frosted. But most of the times they are dusted with icing sugar or unsweetened cocoa. The addition of the corn starch makes the cake fluffy and airy, very Italian style.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups / 200g cups flour
- 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons / 50g cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup / 180g sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup / 250g mascarpone
- 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 pears
- Icing sugar (to sprinkle/ decorate on cake)
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven 170°C / 340°F
- Lightly grease and flour a 9″ / 23 cm cake pan ( I used a spring-form pan)
- Peel the pears, 1 1/2 pears chop into chunks and the other pears thin slices, set aside
- Cream the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy
- Add the mascarpone and continue beating until smooth
- In another bowl, sift the flour, corn starch, salt, baking soda and baking powder together
- Stir in with a wooden spoon the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, stir gently to combine, then add the oil and stir to combine
- Fold in the pear chunks
- Pour into prepared cake pan
- Top with sliced pears and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar
- Bake approximately 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean
- When cool sprinkle icing sugar on cake
- Serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche
Enjoy!
Seems easy to do and invites you to eat it !
You could use others fruits…apple, plums…
Thanks
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Definitely, almost any fruit would work and recently I made it with an 7 year old in a cookery lesson. Very easy.
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A spring-form pan is a “moule à manqué” in french ? and diameter ? Please.
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The size is stated in the recipe, 23cm. It is a moule a charnière
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What a lovely outcome it had! I reall like fluffy fruit cakes.
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Thanks, it was rather light and fluffy.
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That sounds amazing with mascarpone.
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I am a big fan of mascarpone.
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It sound delicious Nadia!!!
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Merci😃
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What a wonderful and rustic cake, it’s going on my must try list, thanks for sharing, love the photos!
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Thank you very much. I do hope you enjoy it.
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Oh my … I am going to make this on Tuesday morning and pop it in the car to a) meet husband in Lyon so good for those necessary stops en route to Cantal and b) aid and abet our big move from the rental of the last 4 years to our still only barely habitable but fit to take my things maison secondaire in Marcolès, I rather think the removals men will enjoy a slice too!
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Bon courage with the move
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Mille mercis … it will pass
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Delicious. This is the type of cake that B&Bs in Italy serve for breakfast. I make a similar one with ricotta instead of mascarpone and some almond flour.
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Cake for breakfast – delicious idea.
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Lovely! I hope I can find some pears…
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Here we still find some although my tree is now bare. Works with apples too or even tinned pears although I am not a fan of those.
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Local pears are very hit or miss here. I did see some at the market a week or so ago. I wish I’d picked some up!
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OMG – How I wish I could have a slice.
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You have a choice here. Either make it yourself or come visit and I will make it for you😃
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Lol option 2 please 🙂
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OMG this cake is so delicious!! I ate almost half of it at one go, it was still warm!! Thank you so much for the recipe, I will be baking this again soon!!!
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Wonderful cake. So good it could become a staple. House guests adored it. Ate it any excuse we could find. Pears are a favorite also. Thanks.
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Thanks. I am so glad you enjoyed it.
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So glad you enjoyed it. My pear tree is full of promising fruit. Just need to wait a few months more for them to be ready to eat.
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