I’m back with another recipe that uses poached pears! If you’re new here or are just discovering this post, look here for my root beer poached pear recipe! Over the next few weeks i’m sharing simple ways to use poached pears in hopes that you’ll find an exciting new way to enjoy the first fruits of fall.
This cake has seen many lives. It was once a pistachio blueberry muffin, then had a short spell as a sunflower seed cake (which turned into a greenish blue hued nightmare before I remembered the reaction that takes place between the seeds and baking soda when baked) and now it’s happily arrived as a tender cake studded with poached pears and topped with a crunchy whole wheat crumble.
Using a food processor to turn whole nuts into flour/meal isn’t a new concept but every time I do it i’m amazed at how transformative it is in terms of flavor. Every bite of this cake isn’t just accentuated by the flavor of walnuts, it is the flavor of walnuts. And the tenderizing properties appreciated in store bought nut flour are even more apparent here. The walnuts release their essential oils and flavorful compounds as they’re ground with the sugar and when mixed into the batter they act to interrupt some of the gluten formation of the flour. The result is a supple cake that veers far away from dense or heavy.
This technique also explodes open the doors of your pantry. Any seed or nut can now become a flour. Think about how limited we are by availability or cost in the average baking aisle selection. Almond flour is great but so many exciting alternatives exist if you have a food processor and a few minutes’ time. Don’t even get me started on the ability to make a custom blend of nut flours to match your exact tastes.
A few notes…
When I use poached fruit in a cake recipe, I like to strain then place the fruit on a few paper towels for a minute or two. This helps remove some excess surface moisture that can become gummy when it comes in contact with flour.
Feel free to swap out the nuts in this recipe. Pistachio and pecan are both really good! I do advise to use un-toasted nuts though to prevent the nuts and batter from baking too dark while in the oven.
You know your nuts best! Sometimes walnuts can be a little bitter. If used in a cake, this flavor will be amplified. Taste your walnuts before you proceed and adjust by incorporating some almonds to balance out the bitterness!
If you don’t want to include the pears, leave them out or swap with fresh pears. The results will be similar but the pears with retain more of their bite.
Whole Wheat Crumble Recipe
makes enough for one 9 inch cake with some leftover
56g unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
113g whole wheat flour
113g brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
In a medium bowl, toss together all of the ingredients and pinch together with clean hands. Smear and smoosh the butter into the dry ingredients until you’re left with a chunky, sandy mixture. You should have some larger pieces the size of shelled peanuts. Check the bowl to make sure there isn’t any dry flour that hasn’t been incorporated. Store in the freezer while you mix the cake. Leftover crumble can be stored in a sealed container or bag in the freezer for 1 month.
Poached Pear Walnut Cake
makes one 9 inch round cake
200g all-purpose flour
30g whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
125g walnuts, untoasted
170g white sugar
2 large eggs
100g neutral oil
110g buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup diced poached pears, drained on a paper towel
1 poached pear half, sliced thinly
1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for decoration, optional
With a rack in the upper middle position, preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9 inch cake tin and cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom. In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the walnuts and sugar. Process until the walnuts are reduced to a fine meal. It’s helpful to do this in long pulses so that you can check your progress and the mixture doesn’t get too warm and turn to walnut butter. About a minute of pulses should do the trick.
Pour the walnut and sugar mixture into a large bowl. Whisk in the two eggs followed by the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula, mix in the dry ingredients until only a few streaks of dry flour remain. Add the diced pears and fold gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the surface with an offset spatula. Fan the pear slices out across the surface, making them cozy but not overlapping. Sprinkle the crumble across the surface, aiming mostly for the space between the fruit so that it adheres to the batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. When finished, the cake should be well browned, firm to the touch, and pulling away from the edges of the pan. A probe thermometer will register 200F at the center of the cake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before turning out of the pan and cooling on a wire rack. Dust with the powdered sugar if desired.
Omg this sounds heavenly