Pear and Cinnamon Ring Cake
1 x 411g tin pear halves in fruit juice
3 rounded teaspoons ground cinnamon
275g (10 oz) caster sugar
2 large eggs or 3 medium
200ml (7 fl oz) groundnut or other flavourless oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
240g (8 ½ oz) plain flour
½ level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ level teaspoon salt
a little butter, for greasing
For the icing
4 rounded dessertspoons icing sugar
You will also need a 20 cm (8”) tube/ring tin, lightly greased with butter.
(I've never tried doing this in a conventional tin – I am sure it would work but I'm not sure about cooking time – I guess it would take a little longer)
Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, gas mark 4
Drain the pears, reserving the juice. Cut each pear half into 4 large chunks and place them on a baking sheet lined with a double thickness of kitchen paper. Cover the fruit with a few more sheets of kitchen paper to help absorb any excess liquid, then set aside.
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla extract and beat well using a hand held electric whisk. Scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through.
Now, in another bowl sieve the flour, cinnamon,bicarbonate of soda and salt together. Add this to the sugar and egg mixture a third at a time, folding it in until well combined. Then add the pears using a large spoon, trying not to break them as you stir. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 50 – 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and the cake is slightly coming away from the edges. Leave to cool for 20 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, whisk together 2 dessertspoons of the reserved juice and the icing sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the cake, leave to set – then serve.