Pear Cake Recipe

5 from 215 votes

This easy Italian pear cake is a moist, fluffy cake that is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon tea treat. It's made with just 10 simple ingredients, and is out of the oven in 1 hour. Use up leftover fresh pears in a dessert that will be a hit with your family and friends!

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian pear cake, pear cake

Servings: servings

Author: Elena Davis

Ingredients

1¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 cup whole milk yogurt
½ cup butter melted and cooled
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large, firm Bosc, Bartlett, or Anjou pears or 4 small ones, cut into 1-inch cubes
powdered sugar for dusting
freshly whipped heavy cream for serving, if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9.5-inch or 10-inch round baking pan (preferably a springform pan) with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray.
Place the sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is thick, fluffy, and pale. (You can also use a hand mixer with a large bowl.)
Gently stir in the yogurt, butter, and vanilla extract, using a fork or spatula to combine it until smooth. (Using the electric mixer for this stage will knock too much air out of the mixture.)
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt), then sift them into the egg mixture. Stir gently until well combined.
Add the cubed pears and mix gently, then pour the batter into the prepared pan. Level the top with the spatula for an even bake.
Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake has an internal temperature of at least 200°F and up to 212°F. If the cake starts to brown too much on the top during the last 10 minutes of cooking, tent it with foil.
Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack to allow it to set completely.
Before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar. Slice and enjoy with freshly whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Notes

It's important to use room-temperature ingredients to ensure they incorporate smoothly. Warm up the eggs quickly by submerging them in a bowl of hot tap water for 5-10 minutes.
Use either a 9.5-inch or 10-inch springform pan (affiliate) for best results. The tall sides help the cake rise high, and the loose bottom makes it easy to take the cake out and put on a serving platter.
Be careful not to have too much moisture in the cake. Adding too many pears or using canned pears without draining and patting them dry first will introduce too much moisture, causing the cake to be gummy or sticky.
Use a cake lifter (a huge round metal spatula) to easily move this heavy cake from the springform pan to a serving plate.

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