Pear Cake Recipe – Perfect Fall Dessert

This Pear Cake Recipe is a perfect choice for fall baking and easy homemade desserts. It’s quick and simple enough for a weekday dessert but special enough for company! It has a moist, tender crumb and is flavorful with just the right sweetness and warm spices. It’s also great for breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee.

This fall cake also has an easy-to-make streusel topping that adds extra texture, flavor and a hint of sweetness. 

Introduction

If you enjoy fall baking recipes, then chances are you’ve already discovered the pleasures of creating simple coffee cakes with apples, pears and all things pumpkin spice! 

Whether it’s a pumpkin or apple cake -baking with fresh seasonal produce is a great way to celebrate fall.

If you have ripe pears, another easy fall dessert recipe is this pear cake.

It is the perfect choice for your next autumn treat!

It’s quick, simple, and delicious! You can make it in no time at all without a stand mixer, and it will still taste like you spent hours in the kitchen. 

You really won’t believe how easy this is to make! 

How to make this fresh pear cake

Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175°C). Set the oven rack to the middle position.

Grease and flour (or use non-stick spray) a 9-inch springform pan. You can also line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Prepare the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of brown sugar with ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ¼ cup of sliced almonds. Set aside for now. 

Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together 2½ cups of all-purpose flour (350 grams), 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Combine the “wet” ingredients: Whisk together 1 scant cup of brown sugar with the ⅔ cup of vegetable oil in a large bowl.

Add one lightly beaten egg, 1 cup of sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest, preferably organic. Whisk to combine properly together. Set aside. 

Slice the pears: For this cake, peel and cut 2 fresh pears in half. Remove the core and place the pear half flat on your cutting board. With a knife, cut the pears lengthwise into  ⅛-inch slices. You can also use a mandoline slicer. Set aside for now.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Spread evenly with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula to the sides of the pan.

Place the sliced pears in a pretty pattern on top of your batter, overlapping them as you go so that the cake batter is completely covered. 

Sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon almond mixture evenly over the top of the thin slices of pear.

Bake in a preheated oven for 55-60 minutes until golden and the cake tester comes out clean.

Place on a wire rack where it can cool down for about 15 minutes.

After this short period, carefully remove the cake from the pan and place it on the wire rack, which will continue to cool down.

If desired, serve with a dollop of sweet ricotta or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tips

• Sifting the dry ingredients together to distribute them throughout your mixture better will give you a final product with a lighter texture. Not only does this process aerate the flour, but it also makes for easy mixing!
• Do not overmix the batter, as this will result in a tough cake.  
• The sour cream creates an extra moist cake crumb. 
• Using room temperature ingredients will make the batter much smoother and result in a cake with a uniform texture. Try to take out your ingredients one hour before beginning so that everything can come together seamlessly!
• Use fresh or canned pears for this recipe – either will work well. If using canned pears, drain the juice off and pat dry before slicing.
• Since fresh pears quickly oxidize and turn brown when cut. Slice them just before combining the wet and dry ingredients.

FAQ

What are the best pears for baking?

Pears are a great fruit for baking, but knowing which ones work best can sometimes be tough. For this recipe, use one of these three varieties: Bartlett pear is a great all-purpose pear and available year-round; Bosc or Anjou pear because they maintain an appealing texture when cooked down in a dessert recipe.

How to tell if a pear is ripe

With your thumb, apply gentle pressure to the base of the neck or stem end of the pear to check if your pear is ripe. If it yields and feels soft, they’re ready!

What to do with overripe pears

If you have a bunch of overripe pears, don’t throw them out! Make this recipe for pear butter instead. With just a few ingredients, you’ll have a jar of pear butter ready to be used in all kinds of sweet dishes. If you enjoy soups, do try this butternut squash soup. The addition of pears provides just a hint of sweetness. Your family will love it! 

How to store leftovers

Place leftovers in an airtight container where they will keep for 3 days at room temperature or in the fridge. 

Can I freeze this cake?

Yes, this easy pear cake recipe freezes wonderfully for up to 3 months. Once the cake has completely cooled down to room temperature, double wrap with plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Then, please place it in a large freezer-safe plastic air-tight container to avoid crushing it in the freezer. 

Recipe origin

It all started with this rhubarb cake recipe with a tender texture.

A very generous reader shared her amazing and delicious rhubarb recipe with me, which led to more experimentation- experimenting with flavors and how best to use up local seasonal summer produce.

In addition, so many of you have been asking me about more dessert recipes featuring seasonal fruits like blueberries, peaches and pears among other fruits. 

As a result, I’ve created variations for blueberry, peach, and pear cakes.

I continue playing around with the basic recipe -more specifically, by using different spices, different combinations of sour cream, buttermilk and plain yogurt and finally different fruit combinations whenever the inspiration strikes. 

Happy baking!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

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Ciao for now,

Maria 

★★★★★ If you have made this fresh pear cake recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!