SALTED MAPLE, PECAN AND POACHED PEAR CAKE
Preparation time 45 mins
Cooking time 1 hour
Serves 12-14
350g unsalted butter,
softened
1½ cups raw caster sugar
6 free-range eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
2⅓ cups self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
¼ tsp fine sea-salt flakes
150g pecans, roughly chopped,
plus extra whole pecans, to serve
POACHED PEARS
5 small pears, peeled, halved
and cored
¼ cup caster sugar
1 cup apple cider
1 stick cinnamon 4 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
SALTED MAPLE CARAMEL
100g salted butter, cut into cubes
100ml thickened cream
100ml maple syrup
½ tsp sea-salt flakes
MASCARPONE CREAM
500g mascarpone
300ml thickened cream
¼ cup pure icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
STEP 1 Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional). Grease and line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.
STEP 2 In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together half of the butter and half of the sugar until pale, then add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
