One of the processes manufacturers use for fruit is delaying the ripening by keeping the fruit in darkness so they keep longer on the supermarket shelves and when bought. With pears the result can be too hard pears unsuitable for eating as they sometimes never ripen soft enough to eat and this is the perfect recipe to use them up.
It's healthy too as it contains fruit, wholemeal flour and rapeseed oil instead of butter. The fruit enables a softer, moist cake. The darkness process is also used for bananas which why you sometimes get a less tasty dry, firm banana.
13" x 9" x 2" baking tin.
Mix well 450g sugar with 360ml rapeseed oil. Add 2 beaten eggs mixing in 1 tsp baking powder, 1tsp cinnamon and 1tsp salt. Add 450g wholemeal SR flour, 2tsp vanilla essence and 5 grated hard funsize pears or apples, 110g chopped nuts.
Pour into the baking dish. When there is over half the amount of fat amount to the whole flour amount it is not necessary to grease the baking tin. Bake for 1hr 160 fan or 180c. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into 16 even pieces.
I like eating this sliced longways and topped with homemade blackberry fruit spread: -
Put 8oz berries and 2oz sugar into a saucepan and bring to boil. Turn the heat off. Mix 1tsp cornflour with 1tsp water until smooth and add it to the saucepan stirring continuously until thickened (about 2 minutes). Use as topping for the peach cake portions.
