Pear & Almond Moist Cake

Preheat oven to 175°C. Butter and flour a 20-22 cm round cake pan or line with parchment paper. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.

Peel the pears, cut them in half and remove the core. Slice each half into thin slices. Optionally, add a little lemon zest to prevent browning.

In a bowl, break the eggs and add the sugar. Whisk vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the mixture lightens and doubles in volume. Incorporate the vanilla and lemon zest (if used).

Gradually pour the melted butter while whisking. Add the milk and mix until homogeneous.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, almond powder and salt. Incorporate these dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two additions, without overmixing.

Pour the batter into the pan. Arrange the pear slices on top in a rosette pattern, pressing them slightly.

Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the entire surface.

Bake for 40-45 minutes at 175°C. Check doneness with a knife tip. If the almonds brown too quickly, cover with foil after 30 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Wait until completely cool to slice.