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Pear and Ginger Coffee Cake with Almond Shortbread Crumble Topping

Ginger Pear Coffee Cake with Almond Shortbread Crumble - a lightly spiced coffee cake with chunks of fresh pear baked inside, then topped with a buttery almond shortbread crumble.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12 + servings
Author Barry C. Parsons

Ingredients

For the Coffee Cake

  • 2 2/3 cups flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 3 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract optional
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp very finely grated fresh ginger root
  • 2 large or 3 small pears peeled and diced (about a half inch dice is fine)

For the Almond Shortbread crumble topping

  • 1/3 cup ground almonds
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

To prepare the coffee Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 5350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch springform pan. I like to line the bottom with parchment paper for easy release when baked.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, and five spice and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment in place, whisk together the eggs, sugar,vanilla and almond extracts on high speed until foamy and slightly stiffened.
  4. In a measuring cup with a spout mix together the melted butter and vegetable oil.
  5. Slowly add the oil and butter mixture to the egg mixture in a slow stream as the mixer continues to whisk on almost full power.
  6. Mix together the whipping cream, milk and vinegar.
  7. Add slowly to the mixing bowl continuing to mix but at a reduced speed.
  8. Stir in the fresh ginger root.
  9. Fold in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula being careful not to over mix. Don't worry about small lumps in the batter, they are fine.
  10. When the flour is almost incorporated, fold in the pears.
  11. Pour the batter into the prepared 10 inch spring form pan.

To prepare the Almond Shortbread Crumble

  1. Pulse together in a food processor or rub the butter into the flour with your hands until fully incorporated.
  2. Add the crumble topping by squeezing together handfuls of the crumb mixture and breaking off small pieces, which get scattered all over the surface of the batter.
  3. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The toothpick test is definitely the best way to ensure that this cake is fully baked. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely or serve while still warm.