Pear, almond & white chocolate cake

Grease a deep, round 20cm cake tin with a little butter and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C, gas mark 4. Sift the flour, ginger, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together into a large bowl or over a sheet of baking parchment. Take 4 tbsp of this mixture and sprinkle it over both sides of the sliced pears.

In the bowl of a freestanding mixer with a paddle attachment (or using electric beaters), beat the butter with 200g sugar at medium speed until pale and creamy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time, on medium speed, until fully incorporated. Add the almond extract and beat for 30 seconds. Add half the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined (about 1 minute). Add the remaining flour mixture and beat for about 1 minute.

Transfer a quarter of the batter to the prepared tin and use a rubber spatula to spread it out evenly. Cover the surface with a third of the pears. Repeat the layers of batter and pears, finishing with the final quarter of the batter. Toss the almonds with the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and scatter over the top of the cake. Bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 10 minutes, rotating the tin after 45 minutes, until golden brown, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cake has cooled, melt the white chocolate in a small bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Once melted, drizzle over the cake in a criss-cross manner, using a large spoon. Allow to set before serving. This cake will keep for up to 4 days if stored in the fridge in an airtight container.