Name: Pear & ginger loaf cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200g unsalted butter plus extra for greasing; 100g caster sugar; 100g soft brown sugar; 2 large eggs beaten; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 200g self-raising flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 2 balls stem ginger in syrup, drained and chopped; 2 pears peeled, cored and roughly chopped; 3 tbsp syrup from the ginger jar; 3 tbsp granulated sugar

200g unsalted butter
plus extra for greasing
100g caster sugar
100g soft brown sugar
2 large eggs
beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 balls stem ginger
in syrup, drained and chopped
2 pears
peeled, cored and roughly chopped

For the glaze

3 tbsp syrup
from the ginger jar
3 tbsp granulated sugar

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking parchment, ensuring the parchment comes 2cm above the top of the tin. Beat the butter and sugars together until pale, then gradually stir in the eggs and vanilla extract. Fold the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the mix, then quickly stir through the stem ginger and pears. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, smooth the surface, then bake for 1 hr - 1 hr 10 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin.
step 2
To make the glaze, mix the syrup with 1 tsp water and the sugar. Poke the surface of the loaf all over with a skewer, then pour on the syrup. Serve warm with cream, or allow to cool completely.