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almond pear cake recipe

Almond Pear Cake

Tender almond cake dotted with buttery pieces of pear

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword almond pear cake, pear cake
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 1 9" bundt pan
Author Dikla

Ingredients

For The Pears

  • 2-3 Medium Pears (300 g / 7 oz)
  • 2 TBS Unsalted butter

For The Cake

  • 2 TBS Almond Paste (40 g / 1.5 oz)
  • 2 Cups Sugar (400 g / 14 oz)
  • 1 Stick Unsalted butter, soften (113 g / 4 oz)
  • 1/3 + 1 TBS Cup Olive Oil (85 g / 3 oz)
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 2 Cups AP flour (240 g / 8.5 oz)
  • 1 Cup Cake Flour (120 g / 4.25 oz)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Cup Whole milk (240 ml / 8 oz)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp Almond extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 12 cups bundt pan, or line a 9-inch round pan.

  2. Peel and slice the pears into 1/4" thick cubes.

  3. Melt the butter in a medium-size pan then add the sliced pears.

  4. Gently stir the pears using a rubber spatula for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and place the pears over a plate lined with paper towel.

  5. Sift the AP flour, cake flour, and baking powder together, set aside. Mix the milk and extracts together, set aside.

  6. In a bowl of a standing mixer, place the butter, sugar, and almond paste and mix on medium-high for about 3 minutes.

  7. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, and keep mixing until light and airy, about 3 more minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.

  8. With the mixer on high speed, add the eggs one at a time, waiting for each egg to completely incorporate before adding the next.

  9. Add the flour mixture alternating with the milk mixture in three additions, starting and ending with the flour.

  10. Right after you add the last portion of the flour, turn the mixer off, and using a rubber spatula, fold in any egg/flour residue.

  11. Gently fold in the pears.

  12. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, sprinkle with sliced almonds (optional), and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean from the center of the cake.

Recipe Notes

  • Store the cake at room temperature for up to three days, covered. To freeze, wrap the cake with plastic wrap and freeze for up to eight weeks.
  • This recipe yields one 12-cup bundt pan, two eight-inch round pans, or one 9-inch pan. Ensure the batter does not exceed 3/4 of the pan's height. If you have extra batter, bake it in a small 4-inch pan or a muffin tin. 
  • Adjust the baking time according to the pan. The cake is ready when a toothpick comes either clean from the center of the cake, or with just a few moist crumbs.
  • To boost the almond slices' flavor, consider gently toasting them before applying them as a topping. This toasting step intensifies their nutty essence.
  • Take your time with the cooling phase; ensure the cake cools entirely before flipping it over and transferring it to a wire rack.
  • Ideas for Serving:
  • To make a gluten-free pear cake, substitute regular flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour and stick to the original recipe.
  • You can prepare this cake using either a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or an electric mixer.