Country-style pear cake

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Grease a deep, 20 cm round cake tin and line with baking paper.

With electric beaters, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.

Add eggs one at a time stirring after each one.

Add essence and beat until combined.

With a metal spoon, fold in flour and cinnamon alternatively with the milk.

Stir until just combined and mixture is almost smooth.

Transfer mixture into prepared tin.

Peel pears and cut into quarters lengthwise.

Press pieces gently into cake mixture along the sides of the tin having the narrow part of the pear pieces facing the centre of the cake.

Gently warm apricot jam and drizzle over cake and pear and bake in the oven for about 55 minutes.

Some ovens may be a little different so keep an eye on it after 45 minutes of cooking.

Pears are very moist and some cakes may take a little longer.

Turn the heat down if this happens so the cake does not burn.

Leave in the tin for about 10 minutes after cooked and then turn onto a rack to cool.