This spiced pear and blueberry semolina cake is deliciously sweet with a hint of spice and honey and lovely soft bites of pear and blueberries.
Very much cobbled together from ingredients that I happened to have in the cupboard, such as a packet of semolina that was almost out of date and some very hard pears from a friend’s tree, this recipe for spiced pear and blueberry semolina cake is my effort for this week’s ‘free from’ Great Bloggers Bake Off. This recipe is free from refined sugar and is also dairy free. It’s not gluten free as semolina is made from wheat.
The result was a lovely sweet cake, with a hint of spice and honey and lovely soft bites of pear and blueberries. I’m pretty sure Paul Hollywood wouldn’t have approved as he didn’t seem to think much of the pear and apple cakes that were offered up on last night’s Great British Bake Off! But R and Miss R enjoyed the cake – although both picked out the pears. If I make it again I’ll be blending or mashing them into the batter before baking.
I’ve never baked with semolina before. It gave the cake an interesting, slightly grainy texture that works well with the honey taste. It’s a delicate cake so if you do make it take great care when moving it to avoid it falling apart.
What is semolina?
Semolina is a flour made from durum wheat. It’s light yellow in colour and can be used to make pasta and gnocchi as well as in baking. To me it brings back memories of eating semolina pudding as a child – a milk based pudding usually served with a spoonful of jam stirred through it. Check out this post by The Baking Explorer if you’re looking for ways to use semolina.
Here’s how to make this spiced pear and blueberry semolina cake:
Spiced pear and blueberry semolina cake
Ingredients
- 4 pears
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 4 cloves
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 150 g honey
- zest and juice of one lemon
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 350 g semolina
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 60 ml olive oil
- 100 g blueberries
Instructions
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First prepare the spiced pears. Peel, core and dice them. Place in a saucepan, cover with water and add the spices. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for around 30 minutes until soft and most of the water has evaporated. Remove the whole spices and set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 180°C(fan)/200°C/gas mark 6. Grease and base line a 20cm square cake tin.
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Mix the lemon, honey, eggs, semolina, baking powder and olive oil together. Stir through the pears and the blueberries, pour into the tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to touch. Allow to cool completely in the tin then turn out (carefully as it's a bit fragile) onto a wire rack. Delicious warm or cold.
If you like this you might like these pear recipes:
Chocolate, coconut and pear pancakes
I am entering this recipe into the Great Bloggers Bake Off challenge organised by Mummy Mishaps and hosted this week by Hijacked by Twins.
Emma
September 4, 2015 at 7:00 amWhat a lovely combination of flavours.. Do come and add it to the #freefromfridays linky http://www.freefromfarmhouse.co.uk/recipes/free-from-fridays/free-fridays-4th-september-2015/
Mandy Mazliah
September 4, 2015 at 6:31 pmOh thanks. Will definitely do so later on!
Louise
September 4, 2015 at 3:05 pmoooo I have never had semolina in a cake – reminds me of puddings as a child
Mandy Mazliah
September 4, 2015 at 6:32 pmI bought the packet ages ago with the intention of making semolina pudding for the kids but never got around to it!
Cathy Glynn
September 4, 2015 at 3:11 pmI think it sounds lovely but pears are one of my favourites x
Mandy Mazliah
September 4, 2015 at 6:33 pmThe pears in this are so good – they’d be lovely even without the cake.
Jenny Paulin
September 4, 2015 at 5:51 pmoooh i have never used semolina on a cake before, but would imagine it would be similar to using polenta (which I have also not cooked with yet). yummy thank you for linking up x
Mandy Mazliah
September 4, 2015 at 6:34 pmThanks Jenny. I often make corn bread with polenta, which is delicious. Haven’t used it in a cake though x
Rebecca Beesley
September 4, 2015 at 7:49 pmthat sounds an unusual but very lovely cake. very seasonal too using those pears from the tree. #gbbobloggers2015 x
Mandy Mazliah
September 4, 2015 at 8:01 pmThanks Rebecca – the spiced pears were my favourite thing about the cake.
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
September 5, 2015 at 3:26 pmOoh this sounds full of flavour Mandy especially with the use of the spices. MmmAngela x
Mandy Mazliah
September 8, 2015 at 8:44 pmThanks Angela, the spiced pears were certainly good enough to eat on their own!
Lucy @ BakingQueen74
September 6, 2015 at 9:15 pmMmm, what delicious flavours! I would certainly love this
Mandy Mazliah
September 8, 2015 at 9:07 pmThanks Lucy, the spiced pears were my favourite part x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
September 11, 2015 at 6:31 amThat looks and sound so delicious. I haven’t used semolina much in cakes so I must give it a go x #GBBOBloggers2015
Mandy Mazliah
September 11, 2015 at 8:36 pmThanks Kirsty. I hadn’t baked with it before either but it was definitely a hit!