Autumn Berry & Pear Cake

Ingredients

• 400 ml Milk
• 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• 350 g Plain white flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 0.75 tsp Baking powder
• 0.25 tsp Salt
• 200 g Caster sugar
• 1 tbsp Vanilla (For the sponge)
• 150 ml Vegetable oil
• 3 Pears (Finely diced)
• 1 tbsp Maple syrup
• 0.25 tsp Vanilla extract (For the pear compote)
• 0.5 cup Water
• 400 ml Double cream
• 200 g Fresh blackberries (Some are used in the filling and some for topping)
• 4.5 tbsp Blackberry jam (Source gives a range of 4–5 tbsp)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Line a loaf tin; the author's tin measured 23 × 12 cm and was 6.5 cm deep.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, whisk the milk and apple cider vinegar briefly.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with a spoon.

4. 4

   Add the sugar, vanilla, and vegetable oil to the milk mixture. Whisk until emulsified.

5. 5

   Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and whisk until combined.

6. 6

   Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin.

7. 7

   Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, checking occasionally, until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. If it does not, return the cake to the oven for another 5 minutes and check again.

8. 8

   Leave the cake to cool completely. Remove it from the tin and peel away the baking paper.

9. 9

   Use a knife to cut the top evenly off the sponge, then cut the loaf horizontally in half to make two layers. If assembling later, wrap the sponge in cling film until ready.

10. 10

    While the cake cools, finely dice the pears and add them to a saucepan with the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and water.

11. 11

    Simmer the pear mixture over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until softened.

12. 12

    Puree most of the pears, leaving some chunks, then leave the compote to cool.

13. 13

    In a bowl, whip the double cream with an electric whisk until firm peaks form.

14. 14

    Place the larger cake layer on a board. Scatter about half of the blackberries across it.

15. 15

    Spoon cream between the fruit, then add puddles of pear compote and some blackberry jam.

16. 16

    Add the other cake layer. Top with cream, pear compote, and blackberries.

Notes

The source does not specify a serving count or exact cooling time; servings and total time are estimates. It says to top the assembled cake with cream, pear, and blackberries, but does not specify the amount of cream or compote reserved for filling versus topping.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• autumn
• vegetarian
• baked
• layer cake
• fruit cake