AUTUMN RICHES

AS THE WEATHER COOLS DOWN YOUR KITCHEN WARMS UP WITH THESE SWEET AND DELICATELY SPICED BAKES CAD

SWEET AND SPICY, YOUR AUTUMN DESSERTS ARE ALL ABOUT FLUFFY CAKES AND NUTTY BAKES WITH LASHINGS OF CREAM, CARAMEL AND CUSTARD

SALTED MAPLE, PECAN AND POACHED PEAR CAKE

Give sponge a seasonal makeover with this luscious layer cake. The sponges are stacked with mascarpone cream and spiced poached pears, with more piled on top with pecans, and silky smooth salted caramel drizzled all over.

Preparation time 45 mins

Cooking time 1 hour

Serves 12-14

350g unsalted butter, softened

11/2 cups raw caster sugar

6 free-range eggs

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 1/3 cups self-raising flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp fine sea-salt flakes

150g pecans, roughly chopped, plus extra whole pecans, to serve 5 small

POACHED PEARS

5pears, peeled, halved and cored

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 cup apple cider

1 stick cinnamon

4 whole cloves

1bay leaf

SALTED MAPLE CARAMEL

100g salted butter, cut into cubes

100ml thickened cream

100ml maple syrup

1/2 tsp sea-salt flakes

MASCARPONE CREAM

500g mascarpone

300ml thickened cream

1/4 cup pure icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional). Grease and line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.