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!
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