Grain and Cake

unripe lemons

apricot tree

The lemons and the apricot tree have nothing to do with grains or the cake I baked today but they did appeal to me when I was in the orchard with my camera this morning. I love the structure and colour of the apricot tree. It is starting to lose its leaves in its understated fashion unlike the really showy deciduous trees that get all the attention in autumn.

Today I planted out some grain seeds. In the ground are rye, oats and spelt. Just small experimental plots of 6feet by 6feet. We don't have a rotary hoe or plough so everything is done with a maddock or hoe. It's a good workout to say the least.I'm hoping to sow some lucerne this afternoon. Dinner is in the crockpot so there is nothing to stop me.

We did stop for a break of tea and cake.

Pear and Honey Cake

Ingredients

150 grams butter

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 and 3/4 cups plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

2 pears

2 eggs

1 tbs apricot jam

Method

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin.

Combine butter, honey and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat. Heat until butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

Place flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix to combine. Peel, core and dice 1 pear. Add the diced pear, eggs and the butter mixture and stir until combined.

Pour into tin and smooth the surface.

Peel and core the other pear and slice thinly lengthwise.

Arrange the pear overlapping on top of the batter.

Brush with warm jam.

Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

We had it warm from the oven with a little bit of cream. Tonight I will serve it warm with custard for dessert. It is quite a moist cake because of the pears and will keep for a few days in an air-tight container.

Tracy