INGREDIENTS

180g butter, softened
90g brown sugar + 90g caster sugar
3 large eggs - at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
120g ground almonds
120g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
Pinch of salt
3 medium pears, peeled and diced
1 tbsp lemon juice

Optional: 2 tbsp flaked almonds or raw sugar for topping

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 170°C fan bake and line a 18cm cake tin with baking paper. 
Peel, core and dice your pears (you want juicy but not mushy). Toss them with a splash of lemon juice to prevent them from browning while you prepare the cake batter. 
Cream the butter and sugars together until pale and fluffy.
Whisk eggs to combine then add very gradually to the creamed mixture, beating well between each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
In another bowl, whisk together the dry team: ground almonds, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and a pinch of salt until well combined and aerated.
Gently fold your dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Then fold through your well drained, diced pears.
Scoop the batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle with flaked almonds or raw sugar (or nothing, as I have here).
Bake for 45–55 minutes until golden, risen and smelling delicious. A skewer in the centre should come out clean, not sticky. Tent with foil if it starts to brown too much before it’s cooked through.
Cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. I've found that square cakes tend to be more delicate when unmolding than round cake so a good 15 mins cooling is recommended.
Serve warm or at room temp with a dollop of yoghurt, cream, or straight up. It keeps beautifully too - it's even better the next day (if it lasts that long).