JONATHAN LOVEKIN

The Sunday Times, 

This is a delicately perfumed confection: yes, a cake, but no ordinary cake; the fruit keeps it so tender and damp that it’s as if it’s been drenched in light, scented syrup. I’ve been bold with the rosewater, but, with the pears and pistachios, it strikes only the most fluttering of floral notes. True, the amount of rose petals on top makes it look as if you might as well wear it on your head as eat it, but it’s a cake that invites exuberance.

Cuts into 8-12 slices

INGREDIENTS For the cake

  • Vegetable oil, for greasing
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 100g pistachios
  • 450g thin-skinned pears (approx 3), such as williams (not too ripe), cored and cut into chunks, skin on
  • 200g ground almonds
  • 1½ tsp baking powder (gluten-free, if required)
  • 6 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ tsp rosewater

For the topping

  • 2 tsp apricot jam
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp rosewater

To decorate

  • Chopped pistachios
  • Edible rose petals

01 Heat the oven to 160C (non-fan 180C). Grease the sides and line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with baking parchment.

02 Put the sugar and pistachios into a food processor and blitz until…