Gingerbread cake with pears

Ingredients

• 170g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• half a level tsp of grated nutmeg
• half a level tsp of cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsp black treacle
• 85ml milk
• 85g butter, softened
• 145g muscovado sugar

For the topping:

• 60g butter
• 60g muscovado sugar
• 1–2 pears, peeled and sliced

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
2. Grease and line an 18cm cake tin.
3. Sift the flour, spices and salt into a bowl.
4. Mix the eggs, treacle, milk, butter and sugar and beat into the flour.
5. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together.
6. For the topping: spread the mixture around the bottom of the cake tin. Arrange the pear slices on top.
7. Pour the flour mixture over the pears and smooth over.
8. Bake for 45–50 minutes, then stand for 10 minutes and invert. Serve warm with cream or custard.