Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Step 2

Peel and slice the Pears.

Step 3

In an electric mixer bowl, whip up the sugar and butter until well combined for about 1 minute.

Step 4

Add in the vanilla, lemon zest and eggs. Continue mixing on high speed for 1-2 minutes until they are well combined.

Step 5

Add in the baking powder, sifted flour and a pinch of salt. Mix again for about 1 minute.  Gradually add ½ cup of milk and ⅓ cup oil while mixing on low speed. Mix for another minute or two on low speed.

Step 6

Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease or spray a round spring foam baking pan then pour the batter in. Ideally, a 10 x 3 inch deep pan is the best size.

Step 7

After placing the batter in your pan, spread a layer of the sliced pears to cover the whole batter. Sprinkle some cinnamon and the brown sugar on top of the pears.

Step 8

Bake in a pre-heated 350 F oven for 40 minutes then lay over an aluminum foil wrap on top to cover the cake and bake for another 10-15 minutes depending on your oven. Insert a wooden skewer to make sure it's completely clean before removing the cake. It may take less or a bit more time depending on your oven.

Step 9

Remove the cake from the oven and cover with a kitchen towel to let it cool down. It may take up to 1 hour to completely cool down. Dust with some confectioner sugar right before serving.