Pear and Pecan Puddy Cake

I have been searching for desserts to share with friends who require Dairy-Free recipes. In addition, the desserts needed to be transported easily and had limited fridge opportunities.  So, I hunted through my books in search of a "Puddy Cake" - my name for a cake that tastes equally delicious as a dessert or a cake - a pudding cake!

The incomparable Belinda Jeffery always seems to have the solution to these dessert dilemmas! This cake is rich, sturdy but not too heavy, keeps well, delicious served either warm or room temperature, tastes even better the day after it is cooked and best of all for my Dairy-Free friends - uses olive oil instead of butter!

PS Thank you to my super clever friend Jenna who surprised me with the"Eat Up" plates plus my "feed your inner cook" engraved silver spoon that appears in some of my photo posts! Brilliant and perfect! 

Pear and Pecan Puddy Cake from Feed Your Inner Cook

Pear and Pecan Puddy Cake from Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation      20 minutes

Cook                1 hour

Cool                 15 – 20 minutes

Serves             10 – 12   (keeps well, can freeze remaining slices)

Ingredients

2 cups Plain Flour

2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground Nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground Cloves

1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda

½ teaspoon Salt

1 cup Pecans – roasted and chopped +  plus some extras for decorating cake

                           (dry roast the pecans on a tray for a few minutes in the preheating oven)

3 eggs

1 ½ cups brown sugar

¼ cup castor sugar

½ cup Light Olive Oil  (TIPS AND HINTS: this only means ‘lighter flavour’ – it has a much milder taste than Extra Virgin Olive Oil, so will not overpower the taste of the cake -  “Moro” brand make a ‘light oil’ that is usually available in many supermarkets. ‘Light oil’ has the same calories as regular olive oils)

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ cup water

5 just-ripe small-medium pears.  Peeled, cored and cut into chunks  OR  825 gram canned Pears in natural juice (if possible)  - drained and chopped. 
TIPS AND HINTS: 
Hayden's Adventures  recommended : Don’t chop too small. If too tiny the chunks will not hold their juice that keeps the cake moist and it gives variety in the cake texture.  Plus it is nice to see the chunks dotted through the cake. A rough guide -  About 1 - 1 ½ cm cubes approximately. 

Decoration Options:

The reserved roasted pecans – either glazed with a little reduced apricot jam  OR thick honey

And / or  a dusting of icing sugar

Method

Preheat oven 150 °C

Butter and flour (OR   if DAIRY Free – use a food spray)  26 cm fluted non-stick Bundt tin.

In a large bowl – using a whisk – combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, bicarb and salt.

Toss the nuts in and ensure they are well coated in the flour mixture.

In a separate medium large bowl (I use a large pyrex jug)  add the eggs and whisk to just combine.

Add the brown sugar and castor sugar, oil, vanilla and water.  Mix thoroughly to combine.

Pour this wet mixture – 1/3^rd  first, then the remainder – into the dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined. Do not overwork the mixture.

Add the pear pieces and gently fold through.

Pour the batter into prepared tin and ensure top is evenly spread out.

Bake for approx. 55 min – 1 hour.  Check at 50 minutes.

Cake is cooked when fine skewer inserted into middle bits comes out clean.

Cool on a cake rack for 10 – 15 minutes whilst still in the pan.

Gently invert cake onto rack to cool.   or  onto a serving platter if serving warm.

Decorate with the glazed nut options and/or icing sugar dusting.

Serving Options  (omit creams / ice creams, caramel sauces for Dairy-Free diners)

Delicious served at room temperature as a cake with cream

OR

Perfect as a dessert option – served warm with ice-cream or cream.

Even better dessert with a little drizzle of caramel sauce on top of that cream!

(can also serve at room temp for dessert).

Slices can be gently reheated in microwave if you want. 

And

Store remaining cake in an airtight container (NOT in fridge) – keeps well for 3 -5 days

Any left-overs freeze well.   Use within 2 weeks.

Please NOTE 

Disclaimer: The Feed Your Inner Cooks are not nutritionists or dietitians. We recommend people with specific dietary requirements seek appropriate professional advice for their dietary needs.  This recipe is provided as a general guide to assist with recipe ideas.

If you are searching for dietary cookbooks, we suggest:

Dr Sue Shepherd  Recipe books and website  are an excellent resource especially for low FODMAP books.

                             Enjoy!   Colleen