Pear Cake with Almonds

This Pear Cake with Almonds is a wonderfully moist and tender cake, filled with sweet, juicy pears and the delicate flavor of almonds. The combination of fresh fruit and crunchy almonds makes this simple cake feel special without being complicated. Serve it for dessert, afternoon coffee, brunch, or as a beautiful addition to your fall and holiday table.

Do you love pears in the fall? Then you must try our Pear and Walnut Salad or our Red Wine Poached Pears. Both recipes are a delicious use of this underutilized fruit.

Pear Cake with Almonds Ingredients

What Are the Best Pears for Baking?

Choose pears that are ripe but still slightly firm. Very soft or overripe pears can release too much moisture and may become mushy during baking.

Good choices include:

• Bosc pears – Firm and excellent at holding their shape when baked.
• Anjou pears – Juicy with a mild, sweet flavor.
• Bartlett pears – Sweet and aromatic, but use them before they become overly soft.
• Concorde pears – Firm, sweet, and particularly good for baking.

Bosc is an especially good choice when you want visible pear slices to retain their shape on top of the cake.

How to Make Pear Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally coat a 9” springform pan with nonstick spray (or line with parchment paper).

Peel the pears and cut them in half. Remove the cores and stems, and then cut each half into ¼-inch thick slices. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, nutmeg, cardamom, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and use a rubber spatula or spoon to spread the batter evenly across the bottom of the pan.

Decorate The Cake

Place the sliced pears in a decorative pattern on top of the batter and top with the sliced almonds. (I like to add almonds to the areas of the batter not covered by pear slices so that the pears are still visible after baking, but this is a personal preference.)

Bake The Cake

Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick can be cleanly removed from the center of the cake and the almonds are nicely browned. If they are getting too browned, then cover with foil. Let cool for 10 minutes, and then dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Recipe Pro Tips

• This recipe was developed using Bartlett pears, but Anjou or Packham (Autumn Bartlett) pears should also work well.
• You want the pears to be semi-ripe. If the pears are soft or overly ripe, they will turn soggy when baked.
• You can be creative with how you add the pears and almonds! While I like to keep the slices together in chunks, you can also create a flower pattern with the individual slices, or even forgo a pattern and just spread the slices evenly across the top of the cake.
• Q: Can I use canned pears in this recipe?
• I would not recommend using canned pears in this recipe due to the difference in moisture content. However, if canned pears are all that you have, make sure that they are well-drained and that you use a paper towel to dab off any excess moisture.
• Q: Can I substitute the almond flour with more all-purpose flour (or vice versa)?
• You can, but bear in mind that it will change the texture and flavor of the cake. I find that the combination of almond flour and all-purpose flour retains the almond flavor and gives the cake a soft, light texture.

What to Serve with Pear Cake

Pear Cake with Almonds is delicious on its own, especially with a cup of coffee or tea.

For dessert, serve slices with lightly sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, crème fraîche, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.

A simple dusting of powdered sugar is an easy way to finish the cake without covering up the beautiful pears and almonds.

Make It for Fall and the Holidays

This cake is particularly lovely during pear season and makes an easy alternative to heavier fall desserts.

Serve it for a fall dinner party, Thanksgiving dessert, Christmas brunch, or afternoon coffee during the holidays.

Because it doesn’t require elaborate frosting, it’s also a convenient dessert when you’re preparing several dishes for a gathering.

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!

Pear Cake with Almonds Recipe

Tara Noland

This easy Pear Cake with Almonds combines juicy pears with a soft, tender cake and crunchy almonds for a simple yet elegant dessert that's perfect for fall.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 8 servings

Calories 334 kcal

Ingredients

 

• 2 medium pears ripe, not overly ripe and not too hard
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup almond flour sifted
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally coat a 9” springform pan with nonstick spray (or line with parchment paper).

  Peel the pears and cut them in half. Remove the cores and stems, and then cut each half into ¼-inch-thick slices. Set aside.

  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.

  In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, nutmeg, cardamom, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

  Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and use a rubber spatula or spoon to spread the batter evenly across the bottom of the pan.

   Place the sliced pears in a decorative pattern on top of the batter and top with the sliced almonds. (I like to add almonds to the areas of the batter not covered by pear slices so that the pears are still visible after baking, but this is a personal preference.)

  Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick can be cleanly removed from the center of the cake and the almonds are nicely browned. If they are getting too browned, then cover with foil. Let cool for 10 minutes and then dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Equipment

9 Inch Springform Pan with Removable Bottom

KitchenAid Y Peeler with Ergonomic Handle

8-Piece Small Glass Bowls with Plastic Lids

Notes

See the post for more information, photos and tips. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 334kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 8gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 133mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 4gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 393IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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