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Fresh Pear Cake

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An overhead view of a fresh pear cake dusted with powdered sugar

Our rustic, no-mixer Fresh Pear Cake with candied ginger is like an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time. It’s familiar and comforting and welcome anytime at your table!

After just one bite you’ll be surprised how distinct the flavors are in this pear cake. We love its soft, tender texture, the chunks of fresh, sweet pear and the occasional hint of candied ginger. Try this ‘great anytime’ fall favorite when you want a delicious dessert that’s easy to throw together. This lovely cake keeps for days at room temperature. Maybe that old friend will stop by for a slice and a cup of tea 🙂

 

Fresh pear cake topped with sliced pears and dusted with powdered sugar

Do you have to make this pear cake in a springform pan?

You don’t have to bake this fresh pear cake in a springform pan, but it makes for an easy, pretty presentation. If you bake it in a 9-inch square pan, cast iron skillet or other deep baking pan, just cut and serve right from the pan. Once cooled you can invert the cake onto a platter if desired.

 

A slice of fresh pear cake being dusted with powdered sugar

You will need three pears for this recipe; two diced and folded into the batter and another sliced on top.

Another option is to skip the decorative slices on top and fold all three pears into the cake batter instead. If you skip the sliced pear on top, try sprinkling the entire cake with coarse sugar and sliced almonds. What a treat!

 

A slice of fresh pear cake with ginger

There’s so much to love about this cake!

From the easy, no mixer required recipe, to the tender crumb loaded with soft chunks of pear and ginger, this cake is a keeper. Not overly sweet, our tender pear cake is great served at breakfast, brunch or dessert. It travels well, making it great for pot lucks or as a gift for a sick friend. It’s perfectly delicious served with just a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream.

 

An overhead shot of a sliced fresh pear cake dusted with powdered sugar

Change it up! Make this pear cake your own with just a few minor adjustments.

Turn this recipe into an Italian Pear Cake by omitting the candied ginger and using mascarpone in place of the sour cream. Or, omit the candied ginger and add 1 teaspoon cardamom with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the entire top with walnuts or almonds for a nice crunchy bite.

This cake is also pretty fantastic served with a dollop of ginger whipped cream. Beat 1 cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form, then add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form then dollop on individual slices of cake and enjoy!

 

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A fresh pear cake with sliced pears and powdered sugar on top

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PRINT THE RECIPE!

5 from 7 votes

Fresh Pear Cake

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
Yield: 8
Course: Cake, Dessert
Author: Tricia
PRINT RECIPE
Soft, tender texture, the chunks of fresh, sweet pear and the occasional hint of candied ginger.

Equipment

  • Springform pan

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (divided)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 large, peeled, firm ripe pears, divided (Bosc or Barlett)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped crystalized ginger, divided
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for topping
  • Powdered sugar for dusting, if desired

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Turn the base of a 9-inch springform pan upside down so you can easily slide the cake off. Line the bottom with a round piece of parchment paper, then lightly spray the pan with vegetable cooking spray.
  • Peel, core and chop 2 pears. Toss with ¼ cup of flour and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and granulated sugar. Make a well in the center and set aside.
  • In a small mixing bowl lightly whisk the eggs. Add the sour cream, melted cooled butter, vanilla and almond extracts. Fold together with a rubber spatula until blended. Set aside.
  • Pour the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture and fold together with a spatula until most of the flour is incorporated. The batter will be thick and seem a little dry. Immediately add the pears, and any pear juice, and half the chopped ginger. Fold together until incorporated. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining chopped ginger over the top of the cake.
  • Set aside to rest for 10 minutes before baking. While the cake is resting, slice the remaining peeled and cored pear into 8 to 12 slices. Top the unbaked cake with the pear slices and lightly press into the batter. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coarse or granulated sugar.
  • Bake at 350°F until a toothpick comes out with no wet batter, about 65-75 minutes. Tent with foil during baking if needed to prevent over-browning.
  • Allow the cake to cool on a rack for 30 minutes before removing the sides of the pan. Slide onto a serving plate, cut into wedges and enjoy slightly warm or cooled. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
  • Store leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature for a day or two, or refrigerate for longer storage.

Recipe Notes

  • To make an Italian Pear Cake omit the candied ginger and substitute mascarpone for the sour cream 🙂
  • You can also omit the candied ginger add 1 teaspoon cardamom with the dry ingredients instead. Sprinkle the top with chopped walnuts or sliced almonds if desired.
  • This cake is also great served with ginger whipped cream. Beat 1 cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Dollop on individual slices of cake and enjoy!
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 607IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 2mg

Here are a few more recipes you might also enjoy:

 

Pear Walnut and Cardamom muffins

Juicy fresh pears and ground walnuts are the stars of these moist and delicious, cardamom scented Pear Walnut Muffins. Click HERE to get the recipe.

 

A plate with sliced chicken, pear and walnut salad

Wine Poached Chicken, Pear and Walnut Salad simply dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Click HERE to get the recipe.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Tricia

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22 Comments

  1. Carla Mueller says

    August 9, 2021 at 12:07 pm

    5 stars
    It’s perfect! Everyone that tries it loves it. Today I’m making it with fresh peaches.

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      August 10, 2021 at 8:10 am

      Thank you so much Carla! We appreciate you taking the time to comment. We LOVE feedback!! Enjoy 🙂

      reply to this comment >
  2. cjm says

    April 24, 2021 at 11:43 am

    5 stars
    Thank you. I didn’t know what to do with a gift of pears and my search landed on this, so happy it did! This is absolutely delicious, husband loved it! I will make this again. I did use a 10 inch spring form because that’s what I have and it came out perfect. Can’t wait to try with peaches.

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      April 24, 2021 at 4:50 pm

      Thank you so much for the feedback Carla. I bet this would be great with peaches. Bravo!

      reply to this comment >
  3. Catherine says

    January 12, 2021 at 8:40 pm

    I strongly recommend baking this in a 10-inch spring form pan. I baked it twice before, first in an 8-inch pan by accident (it was quite tall!), then in a 9-inch pan as recommended. Both of those times it was seriously underbaked, with a gummy texture, despite my nearly doubling the baking time. Note: it’s also very hard to do a toothpick test when pears are distributed throughout. But in the 10″ pan, it was perfectly done at 50 minutes, which was abundantly clear from the firm, rounded top. BTW, I double- checked the temperature and my dacor oven is accurate.

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      January 13, 2021 at 8:09 am

      Hi Catherine. I’ve been making similar cakes in a 9-inch pan for years and never had this problem. In fact, I have more than a dozen recipes like this one that are baked in the 9-inch pan. Glad you like the 10-inch version! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

      reply to this comment >
  4. Carol says

    December 13, 2020 at 3:32 pm

    Ok…..the family verdict is……this cake is amazing! The neighbor I shared some with loved it also…..Trust me , the chopped crystallized ginger is so perfect. A must try recipe.

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      December 15, 2020 at 7:16 am

      Thanks Carol!

      reply to this comment >
  5. Carol says

    December 12, 2020 at 2:02 pm

    5 stars
    My cake is in the oven right now. The smell is wonderful and it looks as beautiful as the picture. I know that it will be delicious. Thank you for this lovely recipe.

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      December 13, 2020 at 9:23 am

      Thank you Carol!

      reply to this comment >
    • Carol says

      December 13, 2020 at 3:38 pm

      The family verdict for this cake is that it is perfect….a real winner. Husband loved it. The crystallized ginger is wonderful, he never had it before. If you want a real show stopper recipe …make this. We loved it slightly warm and the next day….today….zapped a slice for about 15 seconds.

      reply to this comment >
      • Tricia Buice says

        December 15, 2020 at 7:16 am

        Thank you so much for the feedback Carol! Candied ginger is amazing in baked goods, so glad you gave it a try. We appreciate you trying the recipe and for taking the time to comment! Bravo 🙂

        reply to this comment >
  6. Gerlinde @Sunnycovechef says

    September 28, 2019 at 2:58 am

    5 stars
    That is a good looking pear cake Tricia , it reminds me of a German coffee cake. Pinned!

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      September 28, 2019 at 4:10 pm

      Thanks Gerlinde – it’s a classic!

      reply to this comment >
  7. Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says

    September 27, 2019 at 8:36 am

    5 stars
    I love baking with pears, especially this time of year when they are so fresh and beautiful! Putting this one on my baking list 🙂

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      September 27, 2019 at 9:29 am

      Thanks Jennifer – we do too!

      reply to this comment >
  8. PattiAnn says

    September 26, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    What variety of pear did you choose to make the cake?
    Thank you for your response.

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      September 26, 2019 at 7:03 pm

      Hi PattiAnn. I used Bosc but Bartlett will work well too. Thanks for the great question!

      reply to this comment >
  9. Chris Scheuer says

    September 26, 2019 at 10:01 am

    5 stars
    Such a lovely cake, Tricia! I think it would be perfect with a cup of tea, sitting on the front porch and watching the autumn leaves fall!

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      September 26, 2019 at 11:06 am

      Thanks Chris! I agree 😉 We love this time of year!

      reply to this comment >
    • June says

      December 22, 2020 at 6:03 pm

      5 stars
      Came out great, but I think it could have come out of the oven a little earlier. The pears on top weren’t cooked through.

      reply to this comment >
      • Tricia Buice says

        December 26, 2020 at 10:50 am

        Hi June. Glad you enjoyed it. The pears should be sliced very thin and not overlapped so they can good through. Enjoy!

        reply to this comment >

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