Autumn’s riches

salted maple, pecan and poached pear cake

This impressive but easy layer cake is filled with spiced poached pears and pecans, and topped with a silky smooth salted caramel. It’s a bit like an autumnal victoria sponge, and keeps for two days in the fridge. If you like, you can halve the sponge and cream quantities to make a two-layer cake instead for a smaller gathering.

1 HOUR 20 MINUTES + COOLING SERVES 12-14 | EASY

SPONGES

butter 350g, softened, plus extra for the tins
golden caster sugar 350g
eggs 6
vanilla bean paste or extract 2 tsp
self-raising flour 350g
pecans 150g, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
ground cinnamon 1 tsp
ground ginger 2 tsp
nutmeg a grating

POACHED PEARS

dessert pears 4 small, peeled, halved and cored
caster sugar 50g
perry or cider 200ml
cinnamon stick¹/2
whole cloves 4
bay leaf 1

MASCARPONE CREAM

mascarpone 500g
double cream 300g
icing sugar 4 tbsp
vanilla bean paste 2 tsp

MAPLE CARAMEL

salted butter 100g, cut into cubes
double cream 100ml
maple syrup 100ml
sea salt flakes ½ tsp

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with baking paper. Beat together half (175g) the butter and half the sugar with an electric whisk until pale, then add 3 of the eggs,