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.
Delicious
So happy you loved it!
Elena this pear cake is simply delicious. So easy to make. Tasty and moist. I’ve now made it multiple times and have one in the oven as I type for a coffee morning with friends tomorrow! We have one pear tree in our garden and as the fruit remain hard on harvesting, they’re the perfect choice for this recipe. God bless.
This makes my heart so happy, truly. I love that you’ve made it again and again, and using pears from your own tree is so special. It’s the perfect cake to share with friends over coffee. Thank you so much for baking along with me and for your kind words. God bless. 💛
Oh my goodness- I think this is the best baked item I have made in a long time! I am a very experienced baker, and this was an easy and amazingly delicious recipe. I doubled and made 2 in a 9×9 square pan, they were perfectly baked at 50 minutes. My family ate this still warm from the oven and dusted with powdered sugar. It would be incredible with homemade whipped cream and a caramel drizzle. I bet it will be amazing for breakfast too as it’s not too sweet. Thank you for this delicious recipe- I will keep this on rotation!
Oh this made my day, truly. Thank you so much for such a thoughtful note. I love that you doubled it and baked it in a 9×9, and eating it warm with powdered sugar sounds absolutely perfect. Whipped cream or a little caramel would be dreamy, and yes, it’s one of my favorite not-too-sweet cakes for breakfast too. I’m so happy it’s going into your rotation, thank you for baking along with me! 💛
I did it today
Wonderful and so easy, I am not a baker but ohhh my
Thank you
Yes, so easy. I have many more easy Italian cakes to try if you are interested!
Hi. Love the taste. Is it meant to be more custard like at the centre. The tooth pick came out clean
Hi Marie, happy you loved it! The cake should be soft, but I wouldn’t call it “custard”. maybe it should bake 5-10 more minutes depending on your oven! Enjoy.
Just a question. Is it regular yogurt or Greek yogurt and is it plain yogurt? Thank you
Greek yogurt works great, unflavored and plain is best. Enjoy!
can I use margarine instead of butter
Yes, it will change the taste, but it will work!
A great cake that is perfect for family to make them feel like company. Second time that I’ve made it. Mixed apples with the pears because I did not have enough pears.
So happy you loved this classic. I love that you mixed the apples and pears!
I made this for Christmas and it was amazing! Leftovers even better! (Not that there was much!)
What a treat to serve this yummy cake for Christmas. Yes, a slice the next day is so yummy- although I rarely get one ;). Enjoy time and time again.
I’ve made this many times and it is always a hit. I need a bigger cake for a party. I usually use a 9 1/2” springform pan. Can I use a Bundt or an angel food tube pan with removable bottom? A rectangular size (not so pretty)? Thank you for your help. This is more than a five star cake!!!
Thank you so much — that truly means a lot to me! 🤍 I’m so happy this cake is a repeat favorite for you.
Yes, you can absolutely make a larger version. A 10–12 cup Bundt pan or an angel food tube pan with a removable bottom will both work well — just be sure to grease and flour very well and check for doneness a bit earlier, as baking times may vary. A rectangular pan will work too (not as pretty, but just as delicious!).
Thank you again for the kind words — “more than five stars” made my day!
Elena