Spiced Pear Cake

This Spiced Pear Cake is perfectly tender and filled with warm flavor in each bite. If you love spice cake, this recipe is an absolute must-try. This comforting dessert is perfect for any occasion and a fantastic way to showcase the sweet and juicy flavors of seasonal pears.

Pears are a delicious and light-flavored fruit that is often overlooked in baking compared to peaches. Best enjoyed in later summer and early fall, this fruit is an excellent addition to bundt cakes. It's not overly sweet and only needs simple ingredients to make it shine. This easy pear cake recipe uses cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves which makes it yummy addition to both your summer and fall recipe lists.

Still craving more delicious pear flavor? Try my Vegan Pear Crumble! Or warm up on a cool evening with my Cozy Pear Cider recipe! If you love a sweet and savory mix, chop up those leftover pears and add them to my Red Pear and Maple Walnut Salad for a satisfying crunch!

Why you'll love it

Simple- This pear cake recipe takes a bit of time to bake but the hands-on prep for it is very simple. You can whip up this cake in less than 15 minutes!

Seasonal- With warming spices and bright fresh pears, this cake is an ode to changing seasons. When it's still summer but you start craving those lovely fall spices, this cake gives you a taste of both.

Detailed recipe- This is the most detailed and delicious pear bundt cake! Bakers from every stage of learning can follow along and enjoy this wonderful dessert. I break down the ingredients for you, step-by-step directions, and even tips to ensure you feel confident in the kitchen.

What pears are best for pear cake?

For this recipe, any type of pear will work. Bosc pears, bartlett pears, and anjou pears are popular choices. Depending on where you live, some varieties are easier to find. Choose a pear that is just barely ripe and firm. Overly soft pears can break apart in the batter but for this recipe, we want bite-sized chunks.!

Ingredients

Flour- I used a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I like to use soft white wheat. It's lower in protein and creates a more tender texture. Farm Fresh Wheat is a local farm where I love to source my wheat berries which I grind in my Nutrimill. If you don't have a grain mill of your own, whole wheat pastry flour is pretty simple to find. I can usually find it locally in the bulk section of Winco.

Salt- Salt elevates the flavors and balances the sweetness in the pear bundt cake batter.

Baking soda- Baking soda is a handy leavening agent that gives baked goods rise. This recipe uses baking soda, not baking powder. It's easy to get them mixed up accidentally so be sure to take your time when collecting ingredients.

Cinnamon- Ground cinnamon gives this delicious pear cake depth of flavor and is a wonderful aromatic.

Nutmeg- Ground nutmeg adds a warm nutty quality to your baked goods that tastes especially good when paired with cinnamon.

Cloves- Ground cloves are unique and can be used in a variety of recipes from savory to sweet. In desserts, they offer balance to the sweet flavors and add warmth that elevates the entire dish.

Pears- Fresh pears make each bite of this delicious cake so enjoyable. When shopping for ripe pears, look for bright skin that is moderately firm and free from blemishes. I like to choose pears that are just underripe and still a little firm as they hold up better to baking. If they are too ripe, they will fall apart in the bake.

Brown sugar- Brown sugar provides sweetness, structure, and lots of delicious flavor. It has a small amount of molasses which makes it extra moist.

Granulated sugar- I like to use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this cake because together they make for an amazing batter. Pears are not too sweet on their own so adding sugar helps highlight their best qualities. I used ½ cup of sugar for this recipe but you can easily scale it down to ¼ cup if needed.

Canola oil- Oil makes a moist cake. I used canola but you can use whatever preferred neutral oil you have on hand such as vegetable oil or refined coconut oil.

Eggs- Eggs are important in cake because they add structure. Not only that, they add richness to the batter and the fat from the yolks helps keep your cake moist.

Vanilla extract- Vanilla is a great base flavor that complements the spices in the cake so well.

How To Make Spiced Pear Cake

The first step to success in making your cake is to preheat the oven to 325 degrees, measure out your ingredients, and prepare your tools.

The prep work you will do for the pan before baking is so important. Make sure that you butter and flour the inside really well before starting. Nothing is worse than inverting that bundt cake and finding that it’s stuck.

Combine the sugar and pears

In a medium bowl, combine your pears and granulated sugar. Mix carefully to coat the pears. Set aside.

Mix the dry ingredients

Whisk together both the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Whisk in the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until combined. Set aside.

Mix the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil and brown sugar. Then, whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.

Combine wet and dry ingredients

Add your dry ingredients to the large bowl of wet ingredients and stir. A rubber spatula will be useful for this. Carefully fold in the chopped pears ensuring they retain as much of their shape as possible.

Bake the pear bundt cake

Pour the bundt cake batter into your prepared pan. Bake from 45 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Since pans can cook slightly differently and oven temperatures can vary, it's best to start checking the cake for doneness after 45 minutes.

When you start using whole wheat and whole grain flours, you need to be more careful as they will absorb more moisture than an all-purpose. I check by touch. Here is what I am looking for- I check by pressing my fingertips lightly on the top center of the cake. If it feels slightly underdone, you are good.

The rest of the outer edges should spring back with no problem. The center, however, should feel just SLIGHTLY under-baked. As the heat dissipates as it cools, the carryover cooking will ensure that the slightly underbaked cake is perfectly cooked.

Invert the bundt cake

After baking, give it 3-5 minutes in the pan, then prep to remove. I do this by placing a cooling rack on top of the pan. With oven mitts on, or hot pads to cover your hands, invert the pan onto the cooling rack.

Now, the moment of truth. Remove the pan carefully. Hopefully, with the prep we did beforehand, it should slide out without sticking.

Garnish for serving

While it is still warm, brush the pear cake with cinnamon syrup and sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar for a gorgeous presentation!

Tips

1. Choose a quality bundt cake pan- Bundt cake pans can be so beautiful and it's disappointing when the cake sticks and doesn't turn out as planned. It's important to always take the time to properly add flour and butter to your pan to prevent sticking. Sometimes even with our best effort, the pan itself is the problem. Overly scratched or worn pans and those with very intricate designs can sometimes cause frustration. 

Be sure to choose a quality bundt pan and take care of its coating between uses. Never use sharp utensils to lift out the cake that could scratch the pan and don't leave the cake in the pan for too long after baking to prevent it from sticking as it cools.

2. Use a wire rack- Cooling the cake on a wire rack helps avoid a sticky or soggy cake bottom. It allows air to circulate around the cake as it cools rather than trap the steam released by the cake.
3. Be mindful to not over-mix or over bake-This cake will come out tender and light but over-mixing and over-baking can cause it to be tough and dense. When baking, pay close attention to visual cues and keep in mind that carry-over cooking will occur as the cake cools, so it's okay to take it out of the oven slightly underbaked.
4. Be sure to use pears that are slightly underripe. They will need to be a little hard to hold up well in the cake for baking.

Substitutions and Variations

1. Try a spice blend- If you want to simplify, feel free to use a blend like a pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice blend.
2. Add a finishing sauce- Those with a sweet tooth may appreciate a drizzle of caramel sauce or even maple syrup for a little extra sweetness.
3. Canned pears- Fresh pears will taste best in this recipe but if you have a can of unopened pears, feel free to give it a try. Be sure to drain the liquid before adding them to the cake but don't rinse them, it will remove its flavor.

How to store leftover pear bundt cake?

Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Storing it in the fridge will keep it fresh longer which is especially important if you live in a warmer climate. 30 minutes before serving remove it and let it come to room temperature to serve.

Can you freeze pear cake?

Yes! You can freeze this cake a couple of different ways. You can freeze the entire cake or freeze individual slices. I think slices are better because they're easier to defrost and take up less space.
To prepare the cake for freezing, let it cool completely. Without cooling completely, ice crystals can form in the cake. Once cooled, wrap your cake or cake slices tightly in either plastic wrap or cling wrap. Then, add a layer of aluminum foil.
These are important protective barriers that will ensure a fresh-tasting cake once thawed. For slices, place them into a freezer bag with the date and enjoy them up to one month later. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or thaw slices on the countertop for 1-2 hours.

• Desserts