Easy Pear Cake Recipe Moist

Looking for more fall-inspired cake recipes? Try my applesauce cake, pumpkin cake, or spice cake next. If you’re a fan of my pineapple upside down cake but you’re not really feeling the tropical vibe, make my pear cake. The cake has the perfect crumb and airy texture, while the caramelized pear topping is soft, sweet, and full of warming brown sugar flavor.

Why I love this recipe

Perfect for the fall season. Everyone thinks fall means apple pie, but I’m a pear guy all the way. Great for any occasion. It’s easy enough to make on a whim alongside your morning coffee, yet it’s festive enough to make for a romantic date or holiday dinner. Easily make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free flour. Done! It looks impressive, but it’s easy to make. Eyes will roll when you bring out this cake, but I promise you, it’s the easiest recipe you’ll make all year.

Ingredients needed

All-purpose flour. You can use half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour for this recipe to make it healthier. Butter. I always prefer using unsalted butter so we don’t risk the cake being too salty. If you only have salted butter, omit the added salt. Sugar. I used brown sugar to give the cake a more caramelized flavor, but white sugar also works if you’d rather have a lighter-colored cake. Eggs. Use room-temperature eggs and separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Whole milk. To shape the batter. Baking powder. To help the cake rise. Don’t use baking soda, as it won’t have the same effect. Cream of tartar. To help stabilize the beaten egg whites. Vanilla extract. To taste. Salt. A pinch of salt to balance the other flavors.

For the pear topping:

Pears. I tested Anjou pears, bosc pears, and Bartlett pears, and they all worked equally well. Just make sure they are ripe, peeled, and cored. Light-brown sugar. When combined with the butter, this gives the pear topping a light golden brown color and caramelizes them. Butter. Use unsalted butter.

How to make pear cake

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Step 5- Flip. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then invert it onto a plate. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Arman’s recipe tips

Enhance the pear flavor. Add a few tablespoons of pear puree to the cake batter and increase the baking time by a few minutes. Add mix-ins. Fold in some walnuts or pecans for added crunch. Fold in some warm spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice. Let the cake cool completely before slicing. Usually this isn’t necessary, but that extra waiting time will help the caramel sauce firm up so the pears don’t slide off the cake. Dust the cake with powdered sugar or serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a finishing touch.

Storage instructions

To store: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for three days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. To freeze: Wrap leftover cake slices in plastic wrap, store them in a freezer-safe container, and freeze them for up to six months.