Pear, Honey and Lime Cake

Submitted by Irmgard

"From "Gordon Ramsay: A Chef for All Seasons", this lovely cake combines the sweetness of pears and honey with the tartness of lime. I wasn't able to get pear liqueur so I substituted a mixture of vanilla liqueur and kirsch which is also lovely. Please note that the standing times are included in the cooking time."

 

• Ready In: 4hrs 50mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• Pears

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 forelle pears, peeled, quartered and cored
• 1⁄4 cup lime juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean, split
• 6 tablespoons pear liqueur

• Cake

• 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup superfine sugar
• 2 limes, zest of
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

directions

1. For the pears, melt the butter in a medium skillet on medium heat.
2. Add the pears and cook, turning occasionally, 5 minutes, until light golden.
3. Stir in the lime juice, honey and vanilla bean and cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Stir in the liqueur and remove from the heat.
5. Let the pears steep about 3 hours.
6. Discard the vanilla bean.
7. For the cake, in a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and lime zest with a hand mixer at medium speed until smooth.
8. Blend in the baking powder and salt.
9. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
10. Turn the speed to low and beat in the flour until just blended.
11. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, grease a 9" springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
13. Drain the pears, reserving the syrup.
14. Pat the pears lightly dry.
15. Thinly slice half of the pears and reserve.
16. Chop the remaining pears and stir into the batter.
17. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and level the top.
18. Arrange the pear slices on top.
19. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 10 minutes.
20. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees F and bake until the top of the cake feels springy and the tester comes out clean, about 1 hour.
21. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack.
22. Remove the cake to a wire rack.
23. Skewer the top and spoon the reserved syrup over the top.