Almond-Pear Cake Recipe

Ingredients (23)

• For the Pears:
• 1 1/2 cups white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon (see note)
• 4 cardamom pods, crushed
• 4 Seckel pears, halved from pole to pole and cored
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• For the Cake:
• 1 1/4 cups (about 6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons pear poaching liquid
• 1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons almond paste
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (see note)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds (optional)