Ruby Tandoh’s recipe for pear, rye and cardamom cake

This sturdy loaf cake is full of spice and topped with more of the same in the guise of spiced butterI love this kind of cake: the type that’s firm, bready and packed with chunks of fruit and nut. Not because it’s particularly virtuous, but because its damp, dense texture means you can carve off great slabs, spread them with butter and it won’t crumble or collapse under the weight of the knife. It’s even good for breakfast. This is a great template recipe that you can ada