Preheat the oven to 175°C; grease & flour two 6-inch cake tins & set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom & the sugar. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, the egg + egg yolk, & the creme fraiche.
Using a spatula, add the wet ingredients to the dry & fold together until just combined. Add the grated pear into the bowl & stir evenly throughout.
Evenly divide the batter between the cake tins & bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Leave the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the tins, before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Next, make the frosting. Place the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat & let it melt completely. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pot frequently (but not stirring), until the milk solids turn light golden brown & it smells nutty, about 5-8 minutes. As soon as it’s ready, pour the butter into a small bowl (scraping all of the browned bits in too!) & leave to chill in the fridge until almost solidified, about 30-40 minutes.
Transfer the cooled butter to a large mixing bowl & beat until light + fluffy, about 3 minutes. Sift in the icing sugar + cardamom and beat until it’s completely smooth. Beat in the cream until the frosting is fluffy & luscious.
When the cakes at cooled, cut each in half using a sharp serrated knife to give you four layers. Place the first layer on a cake stand & spread frosting evenly across it. Repeat with the remaining layers. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake & keep in the fridge while you make the glaze.
Now, make the glaze. In a small saucepan placed over a medium heat, whisk together the cream, butter & the cocoa powder. When combined/melted/smooth, remove the pan from the heat & stir in the chopped chocolate; whisk until silky smooth.
Leave the glaze to cool ever so slightly – it shouldn’t be warm, but it should still be melty enough to pour. Slowly pour the glaze over the cake & use an offset spatula to spread it out/run down the sides of the cake.
Serve with a big dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!