Rustic Buckwheat Pear & Walnut Cake
Autumnal gluten-free cake with whipped eggs, mineral-rich buckwheat and toasted walnuts.
Best for Mineral-rich whole grain snack that supports satiety and heart-healthy fats
A French-inspired rustic snack cake that leans on whipped eggs for an airy crumb rather than gluten. Buckwheat flour and almond meal give mineral-rich, whole-grain depth while pears and toasted walnuts add autumn sweetness and crunch. Low in added sugar and reliably moist thanks to yogurt and melted butter, this is a cake you’ll make when pears arrive and you want something homey but not heavy.
Ingredients
- 150 g buckwheat flour , sifted or whisked to remove lumps
- 60 g blanched almond flour
- 6 g Baking powder , about 1½ tsp
- 3 g fine sea salt , about ½ tsp
- 2 g ground cinnamon , about 1 tsp
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 5 ml Vanilla extract , 1 tsp
- 120 g Full-fat Greek yogurt , room temperature
- 80 g Unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
- 320 g ripe pears , peeled, cored and diced (about 2 medium); reserve a few thin slices for the top
- 80 g walnuts , roughly chopped and toasted
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice , 1 tbsp, toss with pears to keep color
- 30 g maple syrup , thin with 5–10 ml water if desired (optional – can be omitted)
- 1 g flake salt , a pinch to finish (optional – can be omitted)
Instructions
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1
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Lightly butter and line the bottom of a 20 cm (8-inch) round cake pan, or line a springform; set a wire rack nearby.
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2
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 4–6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
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3
Whisk together buckwheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a bowl; set aside.
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4
In a large clean bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high until thick, glossy and forming ribbons when the whisk is lifted (the mixture should fall slowly off the whisk), about 8–10 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
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5
Fold one-third of the dry mix into the whipped eggs to lighten, then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients with a silicone spatula until just combined—do not deflate the batter. Fold in the yogurt, melted butter in a slow stream, and the cooled chopped walnuts, folding gently until uniform.
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6
Toss the diced pears with the lemon juice (to prevent browning) and fold them into the batter carefully so they remain distributed without overmixing. Transfer batter to the prepared pan and arrange reserved pear slices and a few walnut pieces on top.
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7
Bake at 170°C for 35–45 minutes, rotating the pan once after 20 minutes, until the top is deep golden, the cake pulls slightly from the sides, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
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8
Let the cake cool in the pan on the rack for 10 minutes, then release the pan and cool completely on the rack (30–60 minutes) before slicing; this rest helps the crumb set when using whipped eggs.
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9
Optional: Warm the maple syrup slightly and brush over the warm-top pear slices for gloss; finish with a light sprinkle of flake salt if desired. Serve at room temperature.