PEAR & CINNAMON MIDI-CAKE: air-fryer, dairy-free option; easy, low sugar, fresh fruit

Pack in a plastic container for a treat at work...

first posted 2019; updated 9/24

Fabulous cake for 2-3, ready in 20 mins: with pears cinnamon & walnuts

Air Fryer Cakes are fabulous for small households or packed lunches.  A 15cm/6inch tin provides just enough for 2-3 people, sharply reducing the intake of butter and sugar and avoiding leftovers.

This quick and easy Pear Cinnamon & Walnut cake is an absolute stunner - rich, fine-crumbed with a fruity crunchy topping.  

It's a matter of minutes to prep and takes only 20 mins to bake in an air fryer or a similar amount of time in an oven.  

The cake cuts costs, electricity and avoids over-indulgence.

That makes it perfect for couples, singletons, students and adult lunch boxes.

What's not to like?

See Tips (below) for baking in an oven & translating ingredients for a standard sized cake 

Cost: £2.25'ish (3/24) more for some vegan margarines 
Feeds: 2-3 depending on level of greed (a person who shall not be named has been known to consume the entire cake in 1 sitting)

Ingreds:

Cake batter
  47gm/1.6oz soft unsalted butter or vegan margarine (if using a kosher margarine like Timor, cut the butter when it is cold & solid, then wait until it is soft before blending with sugar)
  47gm/1.6oz sugar (light soft brown is ideal)
  
  1 med egg
  
  63gm/2.3oz plain flour
  1/3 tsp baking powder
  pinch of salt

  1/3 tsp vanilla

Topping:  

  1 medium ripe but not soft pear, peeled, seeds removed, sliced vertically (see photo below)
  1/3 tsp cognac, other fruit liquor, white wine or pear or white grape juice (opt)
  1/3 tsp cinnamon
  2/3 tbsp sugar

  2 tbsp finely chopped walnuts (opt)

Method:

1. Butter sides of 15cm/6inch air fryer cake tin; cut out a circle of greaseproof paper using the bottom of the tin as a guide; line bottom
2. Prepare pears (as in ingredients); add cognac if using, set aside
3. Prepare topping: mix cinnamon & sugar for topping; set aside
4. Preheat air fryer to 165c/330f
5. Prep cake batter: beat butter & sugar till white (it won't take long); beat in egg
6. Add flour, baking powder & salt all in one go; mix on low until throughly blended; beat in vanilla
7. Dollop the thick batter into tin from the outside in; spread toward the edges with a spatula; leave a slight dip in centre for even rising 
8. Preheat air fryer

   

   Cake before baking
   
   

9. Drain pear slices; dip in cinnamon sugar and arrange in a pretty pattern
10. Scatter over walnuts and any remaining cinnamon sugar
    
11. Bake 18-20 mins or until a tester in the middle comes out clean
12. Cool in tin 5 mins, then with a fish slice or tongs coax onto a cooling rack
13. When completely cool pack portions in air tight plastic containers

Comments:
'Fabulous!  Satisfies a sweet craving without going overboard' Retired writer

Tips:

• if pears are hard, sautée slices in a bit of butter in a frying pan until slightly soft; cool & drain before arranging
• Don't have an air fryer?  Bake in a preheated 180c/350f oven 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. 
• for a standard oven-baked 7"x 10"/18cm x 26 cm rectangle or 9"/18 cm square/round, triple ingredients and bake 45-50 mins at 180c/350f/gas 4.  The larger cake is not suitable for an air fryer.
• Try replacing cinnamon with cardamom
• This also works with apple slices, sprinkled with chopped walnuts 

more cakes in Recipes 1: Baking

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.