Spiced Pear Cake with Hazelnuts
I came across this recipe on Cannelle Et Vanille a while ago and thought it was too pretty not to make. I had some beautiful pears so I decided to use those instead of apples and I wanted to add plenty of warm, fragrant, autumnal spices so I played around with those, too. Confession: I rarely follow a recipe to the letter. Three things I'm guaranteed to add more than the recipe calls for: garlic, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. I love the heartiness the whole grains and hazelnut flour add too. I think this is also a perfectly acceptable cake for breakfast. You're welcome.
And apart from being pretty, the smell of this cake is like a warm hug. Have you ever seen Ratatouille? (It's one of my favorites.) Well, you know that part when Anton Ego tastes the ratatouille and it instantly brings back the memory of his mother cooking it for him? When I opened up the oven to take the cake out, the hot whoosh of the scent shot me right back to elementary school and my mom's applesauce cake. I love that sense of smell can instantly bring back a memory.
Spiced Pear Cake with Hazelnuts
adapted from Cannelle Et Vanille
3/4 c teff flour
1/2 c hazelnut or almond flour
1/2 c oat flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t cardamom
1/4 t cloves
1/2 t salt
3 eggs
3/4 organic brown sugar
1/2 c whole milk sour cream
1/2 c coconut oil, melted
1 T vanilla extract
1 large bosc pair, cored and thinly sliced
2 T chopped hazelnuts
1 T turbinado sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flours, baking powder, soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, sour cream, coconut oil, and vanilla. Combine with the dry ingredients and pour into the prepared loaf pan. Arrange the pear slices on top and sprinkle the cake with the hazelnuts and turbinado sugar. Bake for 40 minutes to an hour. The cake should be golden grown and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.
