Sticky Pear and Ginger cake

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C/340F. Line the cake tin with one piece of baking paper, folding up the sides to make sure none of the cake batter can leak out.

To make the topping, melt the light brown sugar and 50g of butter in a saucepan over a low heat. While that’s melting, peel, core and slice the pear. When the butter and sugar have melted, pour it into the bottom of the prepared cake tin, then arrange the slices of pear in a circle on top.

For the cake batter: In the same saucepan, add the butter, dark brown sugar and maple syrup then heat gently until melted. In a large bowl sift the flour and spices together, then add in the melted butter mixture. Stir until well mixed then add in the beaten egg. In the same pan, gently heat the milk then take off the heat. Add the bicarbonate of soda and let it foam a bit. Add this into the cake batter and stir, mixing well.

Pour the batter into the cake tin over the pears and place on a baking tray in the oven for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Level off the cake if necessary then turn out onto a cake plate so the pears are on the top.

Decorate with toasted almonds.