Pear and Blackberry Almond Cake
This cake is the perfect way to highlight seasonal pears and blackberries. And it feels kind of like a transitional cake. Not too heavy, not too light. With notes of both Summer and Fall flavors. You could serve this cake for brunch. Or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. I don’t think you can really go wrong here. I definitely had a slice or two for breakfast!
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 1 tsp. sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3 pears, peeled, halved and cored (make sure they are ripe but still firm)
- 3/4 cups blackberries
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- Powdered sugar for serving, if desired
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper. Then generously coat the parchment paper and the sides of the springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup of the sugar and the butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then beat in the yogurt, lemon zest and the extracts.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flours, 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the cake batter, adding in about one-third at a time, mixing on low speed until no more white streaks remain.
- Spread the cake batter into your prepared springform pan, making sure the top is even. The batter will be thick and a bit tacky. Arrange the pears, cut side up, on top of the batter, pressing them down slightly into the batter. Sprinkle the pears with the remaining 1 tsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon. Top with the blackberries and sliced almonds.
- Transfer the cake to your pre-heated oven and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove the cake form the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, run a knife around the outer edge of the cake and release the sides of the springform pan. Cut the cake into slices and serve with a dusting of powder sugar, if desired.
- The cake is best served the day it’s made, but it can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
