Hidden Pear Cake

 Hidden pear cake - quick and fancy!

Ingredients

3 Conference pears - not too tall - with stalks on for added effect!

4 tbsp caster sugar
400g Chocolate sponge mix
2 eggs, beaten
70g crystallised ginger
3 tbsp icing sugar (mixed with 2 tsp water)

Grease and line a 21cm loaf tin with greaseproof paper

Peel the pears, keeping the stalks on and use a sharp knife to cut out the core from the bottom and slice the base off the pears so they stand upright.

Bring caster sugar and 400ml water to boil, and place pears in to simmer for 15 mins.

Remove from syrup and let cool.  Pat dry with kitchen paper.

Stand pears in the lined tin.

Beat sponge mix, eggs and 150ml water together then fold in 50g of chopped ginger.

Pour around pears carefully, keeping them in the middle.

Bake in oven at 180C for 30-35 mins, till skewer comes out clean.

Remove and allow to cool in tin.  Then ice and sprinkle on remaining ginger.

Tip: keep baking paper on cake at base, or cake may split.

Great as a dessert with ice cream or custard or both!