Jamie Oliver Pear And Gingerbread Cake

The name doesn’t do it justice. This Jamie Oliver Pear And Gingerbread Cake isn’t just a recipe—it’s a little portal to that moment when the kitchen gets quiet, save for the bubbling of something wonderful in the oven. The smell alone is like a hug from someone who knows exactly what kind of week you’ve had. I wasn’t sure at first—ginger, pear, chocolate? But curiosity won, and thank god it did. (inspired by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients You’ll Need

• olive oil, about 200ml (plus a bit to grease the tin)
• 4 big eggs
• 200g dark brown sugar—the sticky, molassesy kind self-raising flour, roughly
• 200g 1 small spoon baking powder
• 200g ground almonds (don’t skip these)
• 100g dark chocolate (70%)—break it in half, you’ll need it in two parts stem
• ginger in syrup, about 100g worth (that gooey, spicy kind) one tin of pear halves in juice,
• 410g (drain and keep the juice)

How To Make Jamie Oliver Pear And Gingerbread Cake

1. Start with the tray. Get your oven going—180°C, or whatever your oven calls 350°F. Rub a bit of olive oil into a roasting tray, 20x30cm-ish. Then lay in some greaseproof paper that’s been run under the tap and wrung out like a wet cloth. It’ll crinkle. That’s okay.
2. In a big bowl, crack in all four eggs. Pour in the sugar and olive oil. Whisk till it stops looking separate and starts acting like a team. You’ll feel it change.
3. Now the flour, baking powder, almonds—fold those in gently. Not with aggression. Let it stay light.
4. Here’s the bit where the magic starts: chop half the chocolate into uneven shards. Same with the ginger—sticky, fiery little cubes. Toss them into the mix. It smells like something wintery, something from your nan’s kitchen if your nan was into exotic pantry staples.
5. Drain the pears. Keep that syrup—it’s going places later. Cut the pears lengthwise, long elegant slices. Press them gently into the top of your batter once it’s in the tray. They should sit proud. Let them show.
6. Bake. About 35 minutes. Mine was done just as the middle stopped jiggling and the top started to crack like the surface of a brownie. A knife should come out mostly clean, maybe a smudge of chocolate if you’re lucky.
7. Cool it. Leave it alone in the tray for five. Then coax it out. That damp paper should peel away easily. Let it sit on a wire rack till it feels like room.
8. Chocolate sauce? Sure. Same tray. No washing—just tip in the pear juice and a little of that ginger syrup. Medium-high heat. Let it boil, just for a moment. Turn off the flame. Throw in the rest of the chocolate. Stir until it turns glossy, like silk.
9. Pour it over the cake. Let it run into the cracks and cling to the edges.

Why I Love This Recipe

I made this on a Tuesday. Rain hammering the windows, the kind of day that makes you doubt everything, including dinner. This cake pulled me out of that. Not gently—like a tug. The ginger’s sharp, the pear’s soft, the almonds give it this nutty, almost grainy richness. My partner took a bite, paused, and said nothing. Just nodded. That’s how you know.

Recipe Tips

• Let your eggs and pears sit out for a bit. Cold ingredients make the batter sulk.
• Chop the chocolate like you mean it. Bigger bits melt in pockets.
• Smaller ones disappear. Don’t bury the pears.
• Let them show off. The sauce? Don’t overthink it. If it clumps, warm it again and splash in a little water. It’ll forgive you.

How To Store This Pear And Gingerbread Cake

• Room Temp: One day. Maybe two, if your kitchen’s cool and the cake is sealed up tight.
• Fridge: Covered, it’ll last most of the week. Let it warm up before eating—cold sponge feels wrong.
• Freezer: Wrap slices like small gifts—clingfilm, foil, whatever works. They’ll last a while. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat: Oven at 160°C, covered with foil, 10–15 minutes. Or zap a slice in the microwave for 30 seconds. That’s enough.

Let’s Answer a Few Questions!

Fresh pears okay?
Yup. Peel them, slice them, just make sure they’re not mushy. You want structure.

Gluten-free?
Sure. Use a GF self-raising blend. The almonds help keep it moist.

Done baking?
When the middle springs back and a skewer isn’t wet anymore. Edges pull in slightly.

Make-ahead?
Definitely. Sponge keeps. Sauce is best made fresh—it takes two minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 357
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 24g
• Sugar: 20g
• Fibre: 1g

Try More Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Upside Down Plum Cake
• Jamie Oliver Chocolate Fridge Cake
• Jamie Oliver Polenta Lemon Cake