recipe: pear and almond cake

This is a simple but delicious cake that won't leave you feeling too guilty for eating an extra-large slice. It's just perfect for serving at teatime after a big Sunday roast dinner.

2 oz caster sugar

2 oz light brown sugar

4 oz butter

2 eggs

1tsp almond essence

4 oz plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1 apple, grated

1 pear, grated

large handful of slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

Cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add almond essence. Sift flour and baking powder and fold into wet ingredients. With a large metal spoon, fold in grated apple and pear.

Pour mixture into a greased and floured 8 inch cake tin and put into a pre-heated oven. After ten minutes, open oven door and pull cake out just enough to scatter slivered almonds over the top. Put back into oven and cook for a further 20 minutes or until sides of cake are pulling away from the tin and the top is golden.

This cake is lovely on its own, served with cream or topped with a glaze made from icing sugar and lemon juice.