Ingredients

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of ricotta cheese
• 2-3 pears - peeled, cored and diced
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter

Instructions

1. Preheat Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan.

2. Prepare the Crumble Topping In a small bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon for the crumble topping. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

3. Prepare the Cake Batter In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

5. Add the ricotta cheese to the batter and mix until well combined.

6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.

7. Fold in the Diced Pears Gently fold in the diced pears into the batter.

8. Assemble and Bake Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the batter.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

10. Cool and Serve Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can dust the top with powdered sugar if desired. - It's best to let this chill in the fridge for several hours - if you can resist for that long!