Bublanina (Czech-Slovak Cake)

This is a typical Czech and Slovak cake made with different fruit depending on the season. Examples of typical fruits used for this cake are cherries, blueberries, plums or apricots. This time Marek asked if I would use pears.

The cake part turned out really tasty but I have to say the pears seemed to lose their flavour. I also didn't add nearly enough pear. I chopped up a bunch of small pieces but silly me didn't add and push them into the batter. I thought the batter seemed shallow in the pan that I must have done something wrong (I doubled the ingredients because my pan was larger than the recipe I had). Turns out it's actually suppose to be a shallow cake anyway. This was a time I didn't do as much research as I normally do before making something new.
 I definitely love this cake but will be certainly using a more traditional fruit next time. I think plums.....oh oh, or how about strawberries come summer time yummmm!!

So even though this cake didn't turn out quite how I wanted it I still want to share this recipe because it is delicious.....just don't be like me, follow the directions and don't doubt yourself ;)!

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs divided (room temperature)
1 tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of cream tartar
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups fresh fruit (blueberries or plums etc)

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350 F with rack in centre
2. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan
3. In a medium size bowl cream together butter, sugar and yolk until light and fluffy. Add liqueur (if using), orange zest and salt. Mix well
4. In another medium bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff
5. Alternately fold in egg whites and flour into the butter mixture
6. Pour batter into the baking pan and scatter fruit pieces over top, then lightly press fruit into the batter
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean from the cake's centre

Cut into square pieces and dust with powdered sugar or top with a berry sauce. Or just eat as is, it's so good it really doesn't matter how you eat it!
Oh, and if you didn't notice I sprinkled sliced almonds on top before baking.