• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Nordic Kitchen stories

Inspired by family recipes

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Baking
    • Bread & Buns
    • Breakfast
    • Brunch
    • Cakes
    • Canapés
    • Desserts
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Festive
    • Foraged Food
    • Fika
    • Fish
    • Healthy
    • Lunch
    • Main
    • Meat
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Scandinavian
    • Snacks
    • Sourdough Baking
    • Soups
    • Starters
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Bespoke Cakes
  • Workshops
    • Sourdough Baking Workshop
    • Nordic Baking Workshop
  • Photography
  • About

Spiced Pear & Rye Cake

9th December 2021 By Louise 4 Comments

Spiced Pear & Rye Cake

Spiced Pear & Rye Cake

I am delighted to be sharing this lovely recipe for Spiced Pear & Rye Cake with you: it’s wholesome, lightly spiced, soft and deliciously moist.  It’s the perfect fika treat!

I have loved baking cakes for as long as I can remember.  I was very fortunate as a child to have an orchard to inspire my cooking – there was always something in late summer and autumn to pop into a cake batter or crumble. Apples were plentiful and I often made Swedish Apple Cake however we only had a couple of pear trees, so any fruit harvested from them was savoured.

I figure there are two specific types of ginger cake; the dark sticky variety that tastes of molasses, and the lighter, more sponge-like recipe that occasionally needs a little cream poured over the finished cake. This is the latter, consisting of predominately rye flour and flavoured with ground ginger.

Wholegrain flour naturally adds more nutrition, not to mention a nutty and tasty flavour. That said I consistently add a small percentage of white flour, most commonly spelt to lighten my cakes.

Commence by caramelising the pears in butter, sugar and maple syrup with a teaspoon of ground ginger. This gives the cake depth and warmth.  The cake batter is pretty straight forward: beat the butter with the light brown sugar until really light and fluffy and gradually add the egg. Following with the blended flours and Greek-style yogurt, always ending with folding in the flour.

To my mind this is a lovely wintery bake, delicious served warm with cream after a long walk.  I’d love to know what you think.

Spiced Pear & Rye Cake

Spiced Pear & Rye Cake

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Spiced Pear & Rye Cake

A deliciously moist bake with hints of spice.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time42 mins
Total Time1 hr 12 mins
Course: Dessert/Fika
Keyword: cake,, Fika,, pudding,
Servings: 8 portions

Ingredients

  • 2 medium pears I used conference, not too ripe.
  • 25 g butter
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbls caster sugar
  • 1 tbls maple syrup

Cake

  • 120 g unsalted butter room temperature
  • 120 g light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 100 g light rye flour
  • 30 g white spelt or plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp ground ginger
  • 60 g Greek-style yoghurt

Instructions

  • Start by greasing and lining the base of a 20cm cake tin with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C.
  • Begin by caramelising the pears: peel, core and slice the pears into eighths. Then in a heavy based frying pan heat the butter with the sugar, maple syrup and ground ginger. as soon as the mixture melts and bubbles, carefully add the pears. Cook for 6-8 minutes on a medium heat, turning to colour on all sides. Remove from the heat while you prepare the cake batter.
  • Sift the rye, spelt, baking powder and ginger into a bowl. Any bran left in the sieve should be added to the sifted flour. Set to one side.
  • In a free standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar until really light and fluffy. Next gradually add the egg, beating between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Once all the egg has been added, fold in a third of the dry ingredients. Follow with half of the yogurt, then more flour, then yogurt, then finally the flour.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, then arrange the pear slices on the top, adding the caramelised sauce too.
  • Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-42 minutes or until a cocktail inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes and serve slightly warm with cream or yogurt. This cake keeps well for several days.

Tips:

  • use wholegrain spelt as an alternative to rye
  • add a teaspoonful of cinnamon to the cake batter for additional spicy flavour
  • dairy butter and yogurt can easily be switch to plant based if you’re dairy-free
  • if you find light rye flour difficult to find, you can buy it online from Shipton Mill

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: Baking, Cakes, Desserts, Fika Tagged With: baking, cake, fika, nordic flavours, scandinavian flavours

Previous Post: « Swedish Fishballs – Fiskbullar
Next Post: Caramelised Onion Tart »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shelley

    15th December 2021 at 7:18 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this nice recipe. Appreciate it!
    I shared it with my colleagues and everyone loves it. It’s very moist and yummy! Will definitely make this again the next time.

    Reply
    • Louise

      15th December 2021 at 6:34 pm

      Thank you so much Shelley, I’me delighted you like my recipe.

      Reply
  2. Michelle

    18th January 2022 at 1:57 am

    5 stars
    What a lovely, delicate flavor! This was a hit with the family. I whipped my own cream in food processor with powdered sugar and vanilla to accompany it. It is very moist and light. Would be perfect with coffee too. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow!

    Reply
    • Louise

      18th January 2022 at 10:55 am

      Hi Michelle, thanks for taking the time to comment, it’s a winner here too. I hope you’re enjoying a slice with your coffee right now.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Louise

Hej, I'm Louise, a food enthusiast living in Marlow, Bucks, UK. Welcome to my culinary adventures in my Nordic Kitchen. Read More

Contact Louise

Topics

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Newsletter

Please subscribe to receive all new recipes by email.

Latest posts

Wild Garlic and Crab Ravioli

1st April 2022

Charred Cabbage with Cauliflower, Miso puree.

Charred Cabbage with Cauliflower, Miso Purée

16th March 2022

Braised duck with Spiced Barley

Braised Duck Legs with Spiced Barley

27th February 2022

Swedish Sourdough Skorpor - (Rusks)

Swedish Sourdough Skorpor – (Rusks)

25th January 2022

Coconut and Spinach Dhal

Coconut and Spinach Dhal

20th January 2022

Footer

Follow Me on Instagram

As much as I love holidays and eating out, I do cr As much as I love holidays and eating out, I do crave a home cooked meal when I return. Lots of veg here, with a spicy peanut sauce (I add the juice of a lime to this to cut through the richness). This sounds complicated to make but it’s actually quite simple. 

Shiitake & Broccoli Satay, Peanut Sauce.

150g shiitake mushrooms
200g tenderstem broccoli 
3 Tbls soy sauce
1.5 Tbls lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger

130g red cabbage, shredded
Fine sea salt
1 Tbls white wine vinegar
 a handful beetroot leaves (because they were in my fridge & needed eating)
75g crunchy peanut butter
2 Tbls soy sauce
1 lime
1/4 tsp nutritional yeast
A good pinch chilli flakes
1 tsp runny honey
1 small clove garlic, minced

Served with 
Pre-blended Brown basmati, Camargue & wild rice blend. 

Begin with marinating the mushrooms & broccoli. Set to one side for 15 mins.
Place the cabbage in a bowl, season with salt and vinegar, massage and set to one side for 15 mins.
Place the peanut butter in a bowl, add the soy sauce, lime juice, chilli flakes, garlic and nutritional yeast, stir. Add 20-30 ml boiling water or until you have a runny emulsified sauce.

Sauté the mushrooms and broccoli on a high heat with the marinade in a frying pan with a tablespoon or so of water for 2-3 minutes. Tip into a warm bowl and cover.
Now briefly stir-fry the cabbage for 1-2 mins, then add the beetroot leaves, if using.
Spread the satay sauce on the plate. Add the cooked rice, then the vegetables. Top with chopped nuts and toasted seeds.
I’m writing this post from the beautiful city of I’m writing this post from the beautiful city of Porto, we are enjoying a few days stay. It feels so good to travel again. I’ve shared on stories our incredible meal @semea last night. But here’s a dish I made before we left…

This dish is a wonderful summer meal. The salad is also delicious in its own right or with chicken. I make it in advance, adding the beans when I am ready to serve. You can play around with the quantities and could add crumbled feta, or seeds and nuts etc.

Miso Salmon with pickled shallot & Chilli

2 salmon or sea trout pieces
2 tsp white miso
2 tsp runny honey
2 tsp Japanese soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar 
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger 

Combine all of the above and marinate the salmon/sea trout for 20 minutes before cooking.
Heat the oven or Airfryer to 180C and bake for 5 mins in the Airfryer or 8-10 in the oven. Grill for 1 minute to caramelise. (Or could be BBQ’d)

Fennel & Bean Salad
1 bulb fennel, very finely sliced, (I used a mandoline)
A handful French beans, blanched
Broad beans, podded and skinned

Dressing
1 tbls Lemon juice
1 tsp White wine vinegar 
3 Tbls Rapeseed oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
Fresh parsley leaves

Pickle 1 finely sliced chilli & shallot in 2 Tbls rice wine vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp sugar & 1/4 tsp salt.

In a small saucepan heat 1 tbls of the rapeseed oil and add the minced garlic, sauté on a low heat. Pour into small bowl and add the remaining garlic oil, vinegar, lemon juice and season. Add to the salad ingredients and toss.
One from the weekend, (you might have seen it on m One from the weekend, (you might have seen it on my stories) a 40th birthday cake for the lovely Ruth, looked as if she had a gorgeous weekend celebrating.

Fresh flowers from @maxwellandwebbpotager
I don't really know what to eat at the moment. Tod I don't really know what to eat at the moment. Today was supposed to be sunny but it seems almost cool enough for something warm for lunch - However I just gathered salad leaves & herbs from the veg patch in the rain, so salad it is.
Griddled Asparagus, raw courgette, peas, broad beans, salad leaves & herbs all dressed in Honey, Lemon & EVOO. Not forgetting the Honeyed Halloumi.

Heavenly heatwave next week…maybe?!
Remember I made lilac sugar last week? Well here’s what I did with it…
Lilac Madeleines, a post gardening teatime treat!

Lilac Madeleines

🌸Lilac Sugar
2 handfulls lilac blossoms, little stems removed
200g caster sugar
In a large jar alternate pouring the sugar and the petals into it. Seal the jar & place it in a cool, dark place for several days. Shake every couple days for 1-2 days.

Madeleines 
2 free-range eggs 
100g Lilac sugar
100 plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g butter, melted & cooled slightly + extra for greasing
zest of a lemon 
¾ tsp baking powder

A handful unsalted pistachios, blitzed
Lemon juice
Icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C fan. Brush the madeleine tray with melted butter then shake in a little flour to coat, tapping away the excess.

Whisk the eggs & the sugar together in a bowl until light & frothy. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Leave to stand for 15 mins before pouring into the madeleine tray.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture has risen a little in the middle and is fully cooked through. Cool the madeleines on a wire rack.  Mix some icing sugar with lemon juice to make a thin glacé icing. Dip the Madeleine in the lemon icing, then the blitzed pistachios.

Best eaten within an hour of baking 😀
With delicate, pure white bell-like flowers, Lily With delicate, pure white bell-like flowers, Lily of the Valley tells us that summer is on the way. The scent is gorgeous but all parts of this plant are poisonous. 

It’s one of my favourite May flowers and supposedly symbolises happiness. What’s your’s?

Copyright © 2022 · Nordic Kitchen stories | Cookie Notice | Website by Callia Web