I’m finally in Italy and even though I don’t have all my kitchen equipment here, nothing stops me from baking! Actually … now that I have a bit more time and 3 family members that eat more than anyone could imagine, I take advantage of it and I keep baking something every couple days, while back home in California I usually only dedicate Friday nights to baking.
We had a few pears that really needed to be used, an open box of cacao and a beautiful heart-shaped pan, so I opted for one of my all the-time favorites, with a few twists here and there … and it was a success!!!
Unlike the other pear cakes I have baked so far, this one is:
- Particularly light, therefore recommended to those of you who are on a diet or trying to lose weight, or looking for a dessert that you can eat any time without making you feel stuffed or guilty.
- Super moist – there’s a good amount of pears that are definitely giving this cake a lot of moisture and there is not much flour, compared to the amount of fruit.
- Lower in sugar than many other cakes, therefore not too sweet. I did this on purpose, cause I don’t like super sweet desserts. If you like your cakes particularly sweet, I recommend increasing the amount of sugar to 180g total (mine is only 130g). On top of reducing the overall sweetness, I also replaced about half of the sugar amount with Swerve, which is a natural zero-calorie sweetener (erythrol) – this is ideal for those of you who are watching their sugar intake.
The cake was a success and it literally melts in your mouth! I was particularly amazed by its fluffiness and its super light and moist texture, definitely recommended for those of you who adore chocolate desserts like me but are looking for something light and low-calorie.
Print Recipe
LIGHT & FIT CHOCOLATE PEAR CAKE
Instructions
In a large pan, mix all the dry ingredients together (sift flours and cacao) with a whisk.
Add one by one the eggs, followed by the liquor and the EVO oil.
Add pear chunks as last and mix well till you reach a smooth, creamy batter.
Pour it on a small baking pan, lined with parchment paper, then decorate with pear slices and finely chopped dark chocolate.
Place in the oven at 350F for 30~35 minutes, then remove immediately and let it cool to room temperature.
Excellent with a scoop of plant-based or regular vanilla ice-cream!
Print Recipe
TORTA PERE E CIOCCOLATO LIGHT
Instructions
In una terrina capiente, unire le farine e il cacao setacciati, il lievito, gli zuccheri, il sale e mescolare bene con una frusta.
Aggiungere, una ad una, le uova, seguite dal liquore e infine dall’olio, sempre mescolando molto bene.
Unire i cubetti di pere per ultimi, rimestare fino ad ottenere un composto liscio, cremoso e non troppo asciutto, quindi versare in una tortiera non molto grande rivestita con carta forno.
Decorare con le fette di pere e il cioccolato a scaglie.
Infornare a forno statico pre-riscaldato a 180C e lasciare cuocere per circa 30~35 minuti.
Rimuovere subito dal forno e lasciare raffreddare prima di servire.
Ottima servita con del gelato alla vaniglia vegetale o anche vaccino!