1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 24cm springform tin* or tart tin and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Set aside.

2. Add sugar and butter to a large bowl and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one and mix well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. Combine flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add it together with the milk to the bowl and mix in – do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, smooth out the top and set it aside.

3. Wash and dry the pears, cut them in half lengthwise, remove the core and cut into slices (lengthwise as well). Place the slices on top of the batter, the inside facing down and press a bit down. Bake the cake for about 40-45 minutes – check after 30 minutes or so and cover the cake with aluminum foil if necessary – the cake should not get too dark. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool down on a wire rack completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar to your liking and serve with some vanilla sauce, for example.