Pear Crumble Cake

I decided on Monday morning that this was going to be a week of no baking, because if the cake isn't there it can't be eaten, and if the cake isn't eaten the hips don't get larger. This abstinence lasted right up until about 8.50am on the way back from the school run when we popped into the shop to get some milk. To get to the milk it's necessary to walk past the reduced shelf and my eyes were drawn to some 'past their best but not a complete write off' pears for just 25p for a pack of 4. My first thought was, ooh they would be perfect in a cake....oops!




Pear Crumble Cake (or as a 4yr old likes to call it 'Gruffalo Crumble Cake')

cake
175g Stork for baking
55g Light soft brown sugar
120g Caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
175g Self raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
3 very ripe pears, cored & chopped

crumble topping
25g butter, softened
25g demerara sugar
50g flour (plain or self raising)
1 tsp cinnamon

• Beat the Stork & sugars together until smooth & creamy
• Beat the eggs in slowly
• Mix the flour and mixed spice together and toss the pear in
• Stir the flour & pear into the mixture & mix well
• Pour into a greased & lined loose bottom cake tin - I used an 8" tin, if you use a wider one you will need to reduce the cooking time
• For the crumble mix all of the ingredients together until it resembles breadcrumbs
• Scatter the crumble over the cake batter
• Bake in a preheated 170 C oven for 45-50 minutes until firm in the centre
• Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack

Perfect with an afternoon cuppa - or not if you're trying to avoid cake!

I'm linking this up to The Good Life Mum's Bake it Monday linky