Pear, ginger and pecan crumble cake

A simple creme fraiche sponge with a hint of ginger, a layer of juicy pears and a tasty pecan crumble topping. Also good as a pudding, served warm with custard, cream or similar.

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

2. 2

   Grease and line a 20 X 30 cm X 5 cm traybake tin or similar sized tin or baking dish***.

3. 3

   Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and beat with electric beaters for about 3 minutes, until light and pale.

4. 4

   Sift in half the flour, baking powder and spices and mix. Add the creme fraiche and vanilla. Peel and grate the ginger and add to the bowl. Mix again, then sift in the rest of the flour and fold together.

5. 5

   Cut the butter into small chunks. Put the extra flour and cinnamon (optional) in a separate bowl, add the butter and rub together with your fingers until you have a crumbly mixture (like breadcrumbs, with a few larger chunks).

6. 6

   Roughly chop the pecans. Add to the crumble mixture, with the oats and sugar.

7. 7

   Peel the pears, top and tail and remove the core, then chop into approx. 2 cm cubes.

8. 8

   Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin / baking dish. Top with the pears and then scatter the crumble over the top.

9. 9

   Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer or cocktail stick comes out clean and the top is lightly golden.

10. 10

    Leave in the tin / baking dish for 10 minutes, then serve warm****. Or leave to cool completely before turning out and cutting into 15 generous squares, or 20 slices.

11. 11