1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 23cm loaf tin* or line it with baking parchment. Set aside.

2. Peel the pears, core and cut into 1cm dices. Set aside. Add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy – about 3-4 minutes. Mix the flour with baking powder, cocoa, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, alternating with the oil and milk and mix until just combined. Finally, add the sliced almonds and pears to the bowl and fold them in.

3. Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake the cake for about 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover the cake with some aluminum foil if the top gets too dark. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool down inside the tin for about 15-20 minutes, then remove it carefully and let it cool down completely on a wire rack.

4. Chop the chocolate and melt it together with the butter – mix until smooth. Let the chocolate glaze cool down a bit, then decorate the cake with it. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top and let everything dry properly before cutting the cake into slices.