Naturally sweet liquorice root helps reduce the amount of sugar needed in this tender, ginger scented cake, while buckwheat and ground almonds provide fibre that helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. Liquorice root is said to reduce sugar cravings and can be used by the body to make adrenal hormones, making this cake a perfect treat if you need to support your pancreas. In summer, replace the pear with a couple of figs and the ginger with a teaspoon of anise seeds and a tablespoon of cinnamon, for a very Mediterranean version.
130g buckwheat flour
100g ground almonds (or other ground nuts or ground sunflower or pumpkin seeds for nut free)
15g (2 tablespoons) liquorice root powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
14g (1 tablespoon) baking powder
220g soft salted butter (or 150g coconut oil + a heaped tablespoon of coconut yogurt)
150g dark muscovado sugar or coconut sugar
3 eggs (160-170g)
100g chocolate chunks or chips
120g yogurt (sheep or goat or low-fat coconut will work too)
1 ripe pear
Preheat the oven to 160ºC with fan or 180ºC without fan. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
Whisk together the flour, ground almonds, liquorice powder, ginger and baking powder and set aside.
Beat butter and sugar together until lighter in colour and fluffy. Beat in an egg and then 1/3 of the flour mixture, repeating with the rest of the eggs and flour mixture until everything is incorporated. Beat in the chocolate and yogurt and scrape into the cake tin. Halve and core the pear with a teaspoon and cut into 8 pieces. Place the pear on top of the cake mixture in a pattern that makes you happy. Bake for about 45-60 minutes until firm and springy and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack in the tin and then unmould.
Serve with strained yogurt or whipped cream.