Pear - Cardamom cake

Name: Pear - Cardamom cake
Total time: 6300 s
Yield: 8 people
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 165 g unsalted butter, at room temperature; 200 g caster sugar; 2 tbsp molasses; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla paste; 1 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger; 2 eggs, at room temperature; 210 g all purpose flour; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 3/4 tsp ground cardamom; 120 ml buttermilk at room temperature; 6 small ripe pears, or 3 big pears, peeled and cored (leave stems for drama); 120 g icing / confectioner sugar, sifted; 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream; 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Santy Coy @chefsantycoy

Gold Coast, Australia

Scandinavian baking always makes me think of cardamom, especially during the holidays. It’s a classic flavour in Nordic baking, adding a lovely warmth and fragrance to cakes and pastries.

In this cake, sweet pears are paired with candied ginger and cardamom for a simple, comforting combination. Choose thin, tall pears such as Bosc, Concorde, Starkrimson or Bartlett so you get a good balance of cake and fruit in every slice.

#CookpadApron2026 #scandinaviancake #cardamom #cake #dessert #sweets #candiedginger #molasses #buttermilk #ripepear #icingsugar #october2027

Scandinavian baking always makes me think of cardamom, especially during the holidays. It’s a classic flavour in Nordic baking, adding a lovely warmth and fragrance to cakes and pastries.

#CookpadApron2026 #scandinaviancake #cardamom #cake #dessert #sweets #candiedginger #molasses #buttermilk #ripepear #icingsugar #october2027

Santy Coy @chefsantycoy

Gold Coast, Australia

Scandinavian baking always makes me think of cardamom, especially during the holidays. It’s a classic flavour in Nordic baking, adding a lovely warmth and fragrance to cakes and pastries.

#CookpadApron2026 #scandinaviancake #cardamom #cake #dessert #sweets #candiedginger #molasses #buttermilk #ripepear #icingsugar #october2027

Scandinavian baking always makes me think of cardamom, especially during the holidays. It’s a classic flavour in Nordic baking, adding a lovely warmth and fragrance to cakes and pastries.

#CookpadApron2026 #scandinaviancake #cardamom #cake #dessert #sweets #candiedginger #molasses #buttermilk #ripepear #icingsugar #october2027

Saved

Ingredients

1 hour 45 minutes

8 people

165 gunsalted butter, at room temperature
200 gcaster sugar
2 tbspmolasses
1 1/2 tspvanilla paste
1 tbspfinely chopped candied ginger
2eggs, at room temperature
210 gall purpose flour
1 1/2 tspbaking powder
1/2 tspkosher salt
3/4 tspground cardamom
120 mlbuttermilk at room temperature
6small ripe pears, or 3 big pears, peeled and cored (leave stems for drama)
Cardamom confectioners sugar icing
120 gicing / confectioner sugar, sifted
3 tbspheavy whipping cream
1/4 tspground cardamom

Saved

Steps

1 hour 45 minutes

1

Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 175°C. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch / 25cm tube pan.
2

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
3

Turn the mixer speed to low; add the sugar, molasses, and vanilla to the butter; cardamom and mix until incorporated.
Then turn the speed to medium-high and mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and mix until incorporated.
4

Turn the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined. Scrape the bowl after each addition.
5

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
6

Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed, just until combined.
Add half of the buttermilk and mix to incorporate.
Repeat with another one-third flour, the remaining liquid, and then finish with the final one-third flour, scraping the bowl and paddle after each addition.
7

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.
Press the pears, upright, halfway into the batter, spacing them evenly around the pan. Set the pan on a baking sheet.
8

Bake until the cake is golden and a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Check the cake at about 20 minutes to make sure the pears aren't slumping over. If they are, use the stem to right them in the batter and continue baking.
Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan.
9

Run a knife around the edge of the cake, the center tube, and the bottom of the pan and then carefully transfer, using a large spatula to lift it off the base, to a serving plate.
10

Drizzle with the icing before serving.
11

Making Cardamom icing sugar : In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, ground cardamom and cream, then stir with a spoon to mix into a thick paste.
12

Add additional cream, 1 Tbsp at a time, to achieve a consistency that can be drizzled over your cake. You should be able to draw a line through the icing with the back of a spoon.
13

Enjoy
14

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Santy Coy @chefsantycoy

on October 26, 2026 11:11

Gold Coast, Australia

I’m a retired chef living in the beautiful Gold Coast, Australia, with a lifelong passion for cooking and baking. Even after hanging up my professional apron, I continue to find joy in my kitchen — creating pastries, Asian-inspired dishes, and fine dining plates right at home. For me, food isn’t just about eating; it’s about creativity, comfort, and sharing love through every bite.🇬🇧 Cookpad UK Ambassador!