Easy Italian Pear Cake Recipe (Torta di Pere)
Updated May 15, 2025, Published Apr 05, 2021
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Easy Italian Pear Cake Recipe (Torta di Pere), a simple moist dessert, breakfast or served as an afternoon tea cake. Made with creamy yogurt, luscious butter, and fresh pears this cake will soon become a family favorite!
You will also love these easy and simple cakes Chocolate Torte, Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl), Italian Crumble Cake Pastry Cream Filling, and my panettone recipe.
Why I love this Italian Pear Cake
Italian desserts are made with simple ingredients. They aren’t too sweet and make the perfect treat without the guilt. You will rarely see frosting or ice cream served with any true Italian cake. No judgments if you add them to this cake!
At most, there is a dusting of powdered sugar or cacao and a dollop of freshly whipped cream. This cake is fluffy, lightly sweetened, and sure to satisfy any sweet tooth craving. It is a simple and moist dessert that can’t be beaten!
Try pairing this with our creamy vanilla sauce or strawberry sauce!
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
I recommend using the best quality ingredients for this super simple cake.
- Fresh pears, (I find the best pears are Bosc pears, Anjou pears, or Barlett pears)
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder (not baking soda!)
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Whole milk yogurt
- Melted butter
- Eggs, room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- freshly whipped heavy cream, if desired
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Pear Cake
If you want step-by-step photos for this fresh pear cake recipe.
A few key steps make this easy Italian pear cake recipe stand out from the rest!
- The first step in this cake recipe is whipping the eggs and sugar until a thick creamy consistency. I do this with an electric or stand mixer. This step creates a light and airy texture in the final product.
- Next, the melted (and cooled) butter adds a luxurious richness to the cake.
- Finally, the yogurt. You will find many Italian cakes with yogurt. When adding yogurt to cakes it adds an extra soft component without weighing it down too much. As a result, yogurt adds moisture and fat in the cake batter, making the cake extra moist. A cake baked with yogurt is never dry. It’s always so soft, moist, and absolutely delicious.
Here is the round 9″ spring form pan I love! BUY THIS ONE .
Variations
The first time you make this recipe try the original recipe! The next time you make it you can try one of these variations.
Cake variations
- Gluten-Free Option – If you are making this simple Italian apple cake gluten-free you can use this flour and it will turn out delicious!
- Low-fat yogurt – low-fat dairy products are often filled with “junk” to stabilize the texture. As long as the brand of non-fat yogurt doesn’t have any fillers it will work fine. One brand I recommend is Chobani nonfat yogurt as an alternative.
- Brown sugar – I love the idea of doing half-brown sugar and white sugar to add a little extra richness. I’ve tried this and it changes the taste a bit, but I like it!
- Sour Cream – you can substitute the same amount of sour cream for yogurt in this recipe.
- Warm Spices – This cake is simple and pure without the addition of any spices (I prefer it this way). If you like try adding cinnamon, cardamon, or allspice.
- Lemon juice – add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to add a zing to the cake and complement the sweetness of the pears.
- Vegetable oil – You can add vegetable oil or any mild flavored oil in place of the butter in this pear cake recipe. You will still achieve a tender crumb. The oil makes the cake a little less dense and airier than when it is made with only butter. I’ve made it both ways and love them both equally!
You will also love these cake recipes: orange olive oil cake, Moist Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, Easy Carrot Cake Recipe, Best Ricotta Cake, and Easy Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake.
Serving variations
- Try this delicious cake with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.
- Add caramel sauce for an extra indulgent twist.
- Make a light cream cheese frosting and spread it over the cooled cake.
- If you want to decorate the cake by adding extra pear slices in a pattern on top of the cake for a pretty presentation.
Any way you make or serve this easy pear cake recipe it is one that everyone is sure to love.
I would recommend fresh pears but if canned pears are what’s available to you then you can absolutely use those instead. Make sure you drain them well as adding extra liquid to baking proportions can throw off the texture or cooking time of the final product.
I like to use a springform pan so it is easy to remove the cake from the pan. You can use a regular 9.5/10-inch round pan as well.
I find the best pears are Bosc pears, Anjou pears, or Barlett pears.
Pears do not need to be peeled before baking or adding to this cake but you can if that is your preference.
What does yogurt do in a cake? Yogurt adds moisture and fat to a cake batter, making the cake moist. A cake baked with yogurt is never dry. It’s always so soft, moist, and absolutely delicious. Another bonus to adding yogurt to cakes is the acidity of the yogurt works with the baking powder to leaven the cake and make it extra tall and super fluffy. You don’t taste the yogurt at all! It simply serves as a secret weapon to add moistness and help your cake rise. Adding yogurt to this cake makes it an extra moist and great recipe!
Storage Instructions
This cake is so delicious that I doubt it will last very long in your house. But, if it does, the best way to store it is on a plate with a covering or in a storage container with a lid at room temperature (checking every day for any signs of mold) or in the fridge.
How to serve Italian pear cake
A little dollop of freshly whipped cream goes a long way and adds the perfect touch. In Italy, we don’t serve whipped cream with cake, but I thought…why not!
After just one bite you’ll be surprised how distinct the flavors are in this pear cake. We love its soft, tender texture, and the chunks of fresh, sweet pear. It’s a cake that will keep you wanting more!
Made with Amore, Elena
Cake pan recommendation
I like to use a springform pan so it is easy to take out the cake. You can use a regular 9.5/10-inch round pan as well. Make sure to let the cake cool completely after baking and before slicing.
It is worth the wait to let the cake set! This cake is even better the next day.
More Delicious Desserts for YOU
Traditional Italian Tiramisù (no alcohol)
Sweet Focaccia with Raspberries and Balsamic Glaze
Easy Almond Sponge Cake with Italian Cream
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
Italian Pear Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large firm ripe pears, or 4 small (Bosc or Barlett), peeled and cut into pieces
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 240 g
- 3 teaspoons baking powder, 14 g
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar, 200 g
- 1 cup whole milk yogurt
- ½ cup butter, 113 g, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2g
- Confectioner sugar for dusting
- freshly whipped heavy cream, if desired
Instructions
- Line a 9.5-inch round baking pan (springform pan or bundt pan) with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whip the sugar and eggs until you obtain a creamy and fluffy texture. You can also use a stand mixer with a large bowl.
- Stir in the yogurt, butter, and vanilla extract. Use a fork or spatula to combine until smooth (not the electric mixer).
- In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir gently until well combined. Add the pears and mix gently. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If the cake starts to brown too much on the top tent the top with foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack. Before serving dust the cake with confectioner sugar. If desired, serve with freshly whipped cream, or ice cream.
Notes
- I like to use a springform pan
- TOP TIP: Use room temperature ingredients. This will make the cake tall and fluffy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh, my goodness! This cake is probably the best from scratch cake that I have ever made. I had fresh pears from a farm and remembered this recipe highlight.
It’s so moist. it’s tasty. it’s easy. It’s not overly sweet. it turned out perfect on the first try. the pear flavor comes through on every bite. And the Kitchen smelled delicious while it was baking. thank you, thank you, thank you!
YAY! So happy you were able to put those yummy pears to good use. I am thrilled you loved it. Many more yummy cakes to try.
Lovely cake! I am not a very skilled baker, so I appreciate how easy it was to follow the recipe. The only change I made was using canned pears since my pears were unripe. I brought this to work as a treat for colleagues, and several people asked for the recipe 🙂 Thank you!
Yay! SO happy you love this one. It is truly easy and super tasty. I love that you shared with your colleagues :).
I made this pear cake and it was absolutely delicious. Very easy to make! I brought it to a party and everyone loved it and wanted the recipe. Since I didn’t have the yogurt, I used sour cream. The cake is moist and fragrant and will definitely be made again.
Thank you for sharing your recipe, Elena.
Yes, sour cream works great here! I am happy everyone loved it.
Absolutely delicious, wasn’t sure what to make with our delicious pears this year, so found your recipe and tried it, it did not disappoint! We loved it😋. I am thinking of adapting it and using some of our apples. Recipe was easy to follow with great results.Thank you.
Yes, this recipe is perfect for all the pears this time of year. I have an apple cake version you can find on my blog that you will love. I also have baked apples and apple upside down cake. Enjoy!
This cake is so delicious – the yoghurt is the perfect balance to the sweetness of the rest of the cake. We serve it with dollop cream. Everyone loves this recipe.
Yay! You described it perfectly. I am thrilled everyone loved it.
How long should I whip the sugar and eggs till creamy? Do you me and till it changes color and is pale? Love this recipe. Have all the ingredients on hand. Thanks dear Elena.
Yes, whip until pale and creamy! about 3-5 minutes. Enjoy!
DEAR ELENA
HI
I made your Italian pear cake for may fathers birthday it was fantastic so soft so tasty everybody liked it. I just add some almond flakes on top and it turned a good match for cake
Thank u for your beautiful and tasty recopies.
Wish u the best
Samaneh
I love this! Happy birthday to you- what a wonderful celebration cake. Sending you love!
Followed your recipe as written and used some of your tips (allspice, low fat yogurt, lemon juice )Super moist, super delish! Thank you very much!
Happy you loved this classic. You will also love my pear and gorgonzola salad!
This cake is amazing – so fresh and moist! Even my husband who hates pears said “this cake is amazing!” My 15 year old daughter couldn’t get enough! Definitely a keeper.
YAY! So happy that everyone loved it.
Tried this recipe as I truly appreciate the Italian concept of desserts (the best in Europe!) but had never eaten this cake.
It’s important to specify BY WEIGHT the amount of pears to be used. Pears vary widely in size and density. Someone who hasn’t tasted this cake before has no idea how closely packed the pears should be in the cake. So please give this additional information.
In Pakistan we have the best fruit (universally acknowledged), both temperate and tropical. So I would like to use a variety of fruits in this recipe. The actual weight of the fruit, therefore , becomes important.
Also, which other fruits do you specifically recommend for this recipe? Many thanks!