This is a recipe from Gino d'Acampo's grandmother - a real throw-together recipe with in-season pears and Italian pine nuts that always warms the heart, especially served with whipped cream.

200g flour

1 tbsp baking powder

175g caster sugar

3 eggs

4 tsp vanilla extract

zest 1 lemon

130ml milk

80g pine nuts

100g softened butter2-3 ripe pears, peeled and cut into eighths

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 23cm cake tin with baking paper.

Put flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, vanilla and zest in a bowl. Pour in milk and whisk until smooth. Add pine nuts and butter and whisk until combined.

Pour into tin and arrange the pear pieces on top. Bake for around 30 min until cooked through.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 min then turn out onto a wire rack. Dust icing sugar on top if desired. Serve warm or cool with or without yoghurt or cream.