A simple fall cake that is nothing short of amazing. Sweet, easy to make, with juicy pears and a spiced crumb, it's perfect to have around as a snack or serve with coffee for friends. It keeps well, can be frozen, and made in different sizes of cake pans, depending on how you plan to serve it.
In a sea of apples and pumpkin recipes flooding the web at this time of year, a pear cake will probably come in third, but you'll be missing out on a lot of flavor! Are you a fan of pears? Most of my readers are probably, according to the popularity of this pear cobbler recipe.
Baking with pears is a wonderful idea and this cake proves it. Sort of like a pear coffee cake without the streusel, because it's that type of dense but soft cake, courtesy of the sour cream in the batter.
About this cake
- Easy to make: the batter for this cake is a simple butter cake and it comes together quickly.
- Different shapes: this recipe can easily be adapted to different types of pans, round springform pan, or rectangular sheet-cake types, for a taller or shorter cake. Your choice depending on how or where you're serving it.
- Make ahead: you can make it a day ahead and it will be very fresh and moist. Or freeze it up to a month.
- Flavor: it has a wonderful spiced fall flavor that can be adjusted to your and your family's palate. Maybe you don't like nutmeg or want to add some orange zest.
Ingredients
A simple cake with everyday ingredients that you probably have at home right now.
- Pears: it's best to use firm, fresh ripe pears, or even slightly underripe ones. They will hold the shape and texture better.
- Unsalted butter
- Sour cream: use the full fat, regular type for a richer cake.
- Spices: it's important that the spices reflect your palate, so feel free to change the proportions of each one. Ground cinnamon and ginger are essential to the flavor of this cake, and I like to also add a pinch of nutmeg and/or allspice. You can also use an apple pie spice mix, homemade or from the grocery store.
- Sugar: both white granulated sugar and brown sugar (light or dark) are used.
- Flour: I've made it with both all purpose flour and cake flour and they both work fine.
- Salt: kosher salt is what I use for almost all recipes in this blog. It brings out the flavors of the rest of the ingredients.
- Baking powder and baking soda: make sure they are active (fresh, not expired) as they will help the cake rise as it bakes.
- Eggs: fresh, large eggs is what I use for the recipes in this blog.
- Vanilla: I'm partial to using pure vanilla extract or paste. But if you use vanilla essence (artificially flavored) it works just fine.
Step for making the cake batter
- Creaming and eggs: it starts with the mixing of soft butter and sugars. This is a step that will incorporate air to the batter and will help the cake rise and be fluffy. Take time to add the sugar gradually for best results. After that, the eggs are incorporated one by one to allow the mixture to be fully and well integrated. Image 1
- Is it curdled? The batter will most probably look curdled at some point while adding the eggs, image 2. This will straighten itself out after you add the dry ingredients. But still, make sure the ingredients are at the temperature specified in the recipe.
- Sifting dry ingredients: this is important to make the cake batter lighter. And especially needed when you have baking soda among the ingredients as it can become lumpy and it needs to be sifted so that it mixes well. It won't dissolve during baking and you don't want to bite into a granule of baking soda. Image 3
- Cake batter: the final mixture will be somewhat dark from the brown sugar and spices. Even it out before adding the layer of pears. Image 4
The pear layer
The final step of this fresh pear cake recipe is the layer of fruit on top of the cake batter.
- What kind of pears to use: I like Anjou pears or Bartlett pears, which are usually available year round and hold well after they're baked. But any baking pear you like can be used, like Bosc pears which are very popular when the season hits.
- With or without the skin: I like to peel the skin that is too thick or brown or too green if using underripe pears, but I do leave some of it when it's thin and yellow. It adds some rusticity and texture to the cake. But it's up to you, do you like baked pear skin or not?
- How to cut the slices: cut the fruit in half or quarters and scoop or cut the core and stem. You can then slice them or cube it. Sliced looks better in my opinion, image 5. With thicker wedges you will have more pear and might need more than 2. They both work but will be different when you bite into the cake.
- Cinnamon sugar: I like to add it sometimes, it adds more crunch to the top layer, but it darkens the top of the cake even more. Image 6
If you're looking for a moist cake made with fresh pears, this one is easy to make and it counts as comfort baking, since the aroma in the kitchen and the flavor will take you to those old fashioned, simple fruit cakes we all love.
And, as much as we love and pumpkin and apple cake recipe, let's not forget the humble pear and it's amazing transformation when baked in a simple vanilla batter.
Does it work with canned pears?
Yes it does, and you need to drain them first. But the pears are already cooked, so they will be way softer after the cake is baked than fresh ones. But it does work if canned is the only fruit you have and just need to make this cake! Who can blame you.
Top tips
- Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes are as accurate as I they can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Flavorings: you can adjust the amount of spices, substitute some of them like nutmeg or allspice with a pinch of cloves if you like it, or use cardamom instead. Also, pears go well with almond extract (in addition to the vanilla) but I would only use cinnamon in that case. Orange or lemon zest, maybe a teaspoon, will complement the flavors well.
- Serving it: this is a cake to eat at room temperature. I like to make it in the rectangular pan, similar to a sheet cake, when making this cake for a gathering, party or brunch table. It's easy to cut in portions that can be eaten by hand. In that case, I place a piece of pear (more like a chunk than a slice) for each portion that I will be cutting.
- Dessert style: if you make a sheet cake and serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it qualifies as a dessert more than a cake. And it's delicious.
- Streusel: this is a fantastic cake to make with a crumble topping. Don't add too much, maybe ⅓ cup, so as not to need much more baking time. Remember it's another layer you're adding to an already dense cake that is weighed down by fruit.
- Glaze: this is always a good idea, and a powdered sugar glaze will work wonderfully and make it sweeter. I would use lemon juice as the liquid, to cut through all the sweetness.
Related recipes you might like:
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Fresh Pear Cake
A simple fall cake that is nothing short of amazing. Sweet, easy to make, with juicy pears and a spiced crumb, it's perfect to have around as a snack or to serve with coffee for friends. It keeps well and can be frozen.
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
Ingredients
For a 10-inch round springform or 11x7 inch rectangular pan:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of allspice or nutmeg
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
- 2 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced
- Optional: 1 or 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar to dust before baking
For a 9-inch round, springform cake cake:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of allspice or nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
- 2 medium pears, peeled, cored and sliced
- Optional: 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sugar to dust before baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
- Grease with soft butter or baking spray line the pan you’ll be using. Round pans don’t need to be lined, but, if using the 11x7-inch pan, I like to line it with a strip of parchment paper covering the bottom and two long sides; the short sides will remain unlined but greased. This makes it easier to remove the rectangular cake after it’s baked.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. I have them measured and sift them directly into the batter, but you can sift them separately in a medium bowl if that’s more convenient for you.
- In a large bowl beat the soft butter and sour cream until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Gradually add both sugars while beating at medium/high speed for 3 minutes, until light in color and the sugar is partially dissolved.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter might look curdled but it will be fine after the dry ingredients are added.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix.
- Sift the flour mixture (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) and add it in 2 parts together with the spices. I have them measured and sift them directly into the batter, but you can sift them separately if that’s more convenient for you.
- Mix well at low speed, but don’t over beat at this point or the cake will be tough after it’s baked.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Add the pear slices on top of the cake, creating a pattern or however you want them placed.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if using.
- Bake for about 50-55 minutes for the 10-inch round or rectangular cakes, and 60-70 minutes for the 9-inch cake, until the top is golden and a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Important: if the top is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum paper after 40-45 minutes of baking. This will prevent it from darkening further but the cake will still continue to bake. Start checking for doneness at the lowest time specified in this recipe and have patience until it’s fully baked. It might take a little more (than the highest time specified) depending on your oven, especially for round cakes.
- Let cool on a wire rack and remove from the pan. If you lined the pan, make sure the unlined sides are not sticking to the pan and then lift the paper carefully so the cake is also easily lifted with it.
- Dust with powdered sugar if you want before eating.
- It keeps well for a day or two at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap or under a cake dome. After that refrigerate or freeze, always well wrapped.
Notes
Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes are as accurate as I they can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Flavorings: you can adjust the amount of spices, substitute some of them like nutmeg or allspice with a pinch of cloves if you like it, or use cardamom instead. Also, pears go well with almond extract (in addition to the vanilla) but I would only use cinnamon in that case. Orange zest, maybe a teaspoon, will complement the flavors well.
Serving it: I like to make it in the rectangular pan, similar to a sheet cake, when making this cake for a gathering, party or brunch table. It's easy to cut in portions that can be eaten by hand. In that case, I place a piece of pear (more like a chunk than a slice) for each portion that I will be cutting.
Dessert style: if you make a sheet cake and serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it qualifies as a dessert more than a cake. And it's delicious.
Streusel: this is a fantastic cake to make with a crumble topping. Don't add too much, maybe ⅓ cup, so as not to need much more baking time. Remember it's another layer you're adding to an already dense cake that is weighed down by fruit.
Glaze: this is always a good idea, and a powdered sugar glaze will work wonderfully and make it sweeter.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Breakfast / Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10
- Calories: 338
- Sugar: 25.8 g
- Sodium: 213.9 mg
- Fat: 16.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.6 g
- Protein: 4.6 g
- Cholesterol: 94.9 mg
Keywords: pear cake
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
My husband loves a simple cake like this...I'll be trying it when we get home from our trip to. Europe. I know we will both enjoy it.
Paula Montenegro says
Europe is always a good place to go, have fun Karen!
Liz says
It took me a long time to figure out that I loved pears in my baked goods as much as apples! Your coffee cake looks spectacular---and I'm so with you on the addition of sour cream!
Paula Montenegro says
Couldn't agree more Liz!
MARY H HIRSCH says
I AM SOOOO GLAD TO BE BACK READING YOUR BLOG. (I THINK I SIGNED UP TWICE.) I think the best dessert I make is a pear tart which I originally baked during French Fridays with Dorie. The pear is underrated and underused, I think. Usually my coffee cakes are "higher" as you pointed out or I bake them as loaves but if you think this is best, I'll be happy to follow. Will let you know, Paula.
Paula Montenegro says
Mary! I'm SO glad to be here again! Pear tart is one of the best desserts, definitely. I usually bake loaf pans too, but I thought the pear deserved to be more prominent.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
I adore pears and often feel they take a back seat to apples. (I like apples too!) This scrumptious coffee cake gives pears all the love they deserve!
Paula Montenegro says
They do take a back seat, but they're amazing!
David says
This sounds incredibly good, Paula! I never thought of people getting excited about coffee cake but when you mention pears? I am all ears! I can't wait to try this.
Paula Montenegro says
Hope you try it David!