Fresh Pear Cake

Print Recipe

5 from 13 votes

Soft, tender texture, the chunks of fresh, sweet pear and the occasional hint of candied ginger.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 40

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, pear

Servings:

Calories: 446kcal

Author: Tricia

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.

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