Cinnamon-Pear Almond Cake

Liking my cinnamon-pear jam so much, I thought I would make a cake that captures the same flavor. This cake is not too dense, and yet not at all fluffy. It is a moist cake dotted with chunks of sweet and tender pear. It is thoroughly permeated with cinnamon. It slices like a dream. It tastes great freshly baked; it tastes even better after a day or two. It is mixed by hand in one bowl. It is flourless and gluten-free (albeit unintentionally). And it will undoubtedly make many more appearances in my kitchen.

Cinnamon-Pear Almond Cake
(Makes one 8x4x2-1/2-inch loaf pan or a 8x8-inch square pan)
Printable Version

3 medium pears (any type), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 large eggs
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons (134 g) sugar
2 3/4 cups (247 g) almond meal
1 tablespoon (8 g) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 g) salt

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Grease a 8x4x2-1/2-inch loaf pan or a 8x8-inch square pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a wire whisk until homogeneous.

Add baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; mix well.

Add the almond meal; mix well.

Fold in the pear cubes.

Pour the batter (quite thick) into the prepared pan, and bake on a rack positioned in the middle of the oven until the cake passes the toothpick test (about one hour for the loaf pan and 40-50 minutes for the square pan).

Let the cake cool completely in the pan before unmolding and slicing.