In the midst of a dark winter, and an early dusk, make this warm pear almond cake to light up the mouths that will inevitably gather around to droll over it.
A snacking cake means that this is a cake you can make mid-day and eat all day, even for breakfast. It's easy to put together and tastes even better after being in the fridge as all the juice from the fruit continues to soak into the cake keeping it moist and sweet. This is a cake built more similar to a pineapple upside-down cake and doesn't warrant frosting.
This cake is based off of a recipe from Amy Chaplin's Whole Food Cooking Everyday, a vegetarian cookbook that doesn't sacrifice flavor for its often gluten and dairy-free recipes. Many of the recipes she provides are a base to be expanded upon. Because of Chaplin's whole foods upbringing in Australia, this cake doesn't require refined sugars. That doesn't mean a buttery sweet frosting on a fluffy confection isn't also great but when you're looking for something subtly sweet this cake hits the spot.
This cake is naturally sweetened and extremely satisfying.
I made this cake into a pear-upside-down-esque cake but the pears can be replaced with any other fall fruit(like apples and plums) or berries. It can also be made raw (raw in this situation meaning the lack of fruit not the lack of baking.)
I recommend making the pears first, because the longer they are in the fridge the more succulence they succultate(succulate here meaning to gain juicyness.) Also, there will be extra pear compote for pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, and eating straight from the fridge.
Pear Almond Cake
Makes a one-layer, round, 9-inch cake.
Pear compote
2 large pears
½ cup orange juice
â…› tsp cinnamon
â…› tsp cardamom
¾ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
Cut pears into ½ inch cubes. Put the pears, orange juice, cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla into a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn down to a simmer. Cook stirring occasionally for 10 to 15 minutes. While cooking, mix together the cornstarch and water in a small dish. For the last 5 minutes remove the lid to let some moisture evaporate. And when pears are soft and cooked drizzle over the cornstarch water mixture. Combine, let cool, then refrigerate until ready to be used.
Topping
¼ cup oats
2 tbsp finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp coconut sugar
â…› tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp melted coconut oil
Mix together all the ingredients.
Cake
2 ½ cups almond flour
¼ cup oat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup melted coconut oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Press into the edges of the pan with parchment hanging over the edge of the pan. Sprinkle in the topping to the bottom of the pan and try to spread to the edge as best as possible.
Put almond flour, oat flour, and baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk together. If the almond flour has clumps break them up with your hands. In another medium bowl whisk eggs. Add to the eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt. Whisk together. Pour the egg mixture into the dry mixture and use a spatula or spoon to combine.
Pour half of the batter into the pan. It will be very thick so try to distribute as best as possible without moving all the topping to one side. This layer won’t need to be pushed all the way to the edge but get as close as possible.
Then sprinkle the batter with enough of the pear mixture, not the liquid, until there is a thin layer of pears on the batter. Pour the remaining half of the batter on top of the pears. Spread as far to the edge as possible.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, and the top of the cake is golden.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before removing from the pan by setting a plate on top of the pan and flipping the cake out so what was on the bottom of the pan shows on top. Pour the remaining liquid from the fruit mixture over the cake. Eat warm and store in the fridge for 4 days.
Enjoy!
*Adapted from Amy Chaplin's Whole Food Cooking Everyday
