Jamie Oliver's one-bowl pear and gingerbread cake recipe is 'really special'

By Millie Bull, Deputy Lifestyle Editor

This delicious gingerbread and pear cake can be whipped up and baked in under an hour (Image: Getty)

If you're looking for a simple autumnal dessert recipe this weekend then look no further, Jamie Oliver's gingerbread and pear cake is the perfect solution.

With just eight ingredients and a 35-minute baking time, Jamie's recipe won't take hours of cooking and it serves 16 people.

Featuring in Jamie's book ONE, this recipe can be made in just one bowl which makes it even easier.

Before baking this delicious autumnal cake, Jamie shared a top tip.

He said: "Once you’ve baked the sponge, drizzle a little syrup from the stem ginger balls over the hot pears – you’ll end up with something really special."

Featuring in Jamie's book ONE, this recipe can be made in just one bowl (Image: Getty)

How to make Jamie Oliver's pear and gingerbread cake

Ingredients

Four large eggs

200g dark brown sugar

200g self-raising flour

one teaspoon baking powder

200g ground almonds

100g dark chocolate (70 percent)

100g stem ginger balls in syrup

One x 410g tin of pear halves in juice

Method

1. First, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

2. Next, grease the inside of a 20cm x 30cm roasting tray with some olive oil before lining it with some damp greaseproof paper.

3. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk in the sugar and 200ml of oil before folding in the flour, baking powder and almonds.

This dessert includes a decadent chocolate sauce (Image: Getty)

4. Chop up the chocolate and all of the ginger and add it to the batter. Pour it into the roasting tray.

5. Reserve half of the pear juice, drain them and slice them lengthways. Arrange them on top of the cake batter. Make sure to press them in so they don't slide off.

6. Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Once baked, leave the cake to cool in the tin for five minutes before transferring it to a wire rack, removing the baking paper carefully.

7. Put the empty tray over medium-high heat on the hob and add the pear juice and a drizzle of syrup from the stem ginger jar. Bring the juice to a boil and snap in the rest of the chocolate. Stir together until incorporated and drizzle it over the cake.

Serve as is or with your choice of sides such as ice cream, custard or cream.