Easy French Pear Cake
This French pear cake is simply delicious. It’s moist and soft, keeps well, filled with juicy pears and a hint of vanilla.
This no-fuss French cake features pear slices within and on top. It’s great to make any time of year, especially when fresh pears are in season.
The thing I really love about this cake is that it celebrates the pear flavor. It’s not overwhelmed with spices in there. It’s a moist, buttery cake with a hint of vanilla to complement the pears.
This cake is lovely and simple to make by hand, and the finished cake doesn’t need any fancy frosting or decorations.
Recipe testing
The idea behind this cake comes from French pear cakes I have tasted in the past. They were always simple but so flavorful, with a moist texture.
The first time I made this cake, I made a thicker butter-based batter with the idea of a decadent cake with juicy chunks of pears. The flavor was good, but the cake was too dense for my liking. For the next test, I based it more on my Dutch Apple Cake recipe. I loosened the batter with milk, added a bit more baking powder, and added in a splash of oil along with the butter.
This result was much better. The cake was light, fluffy, yet still sturdy enough to hold the pears. For the third test, I went with pear slices instead of chunks, for a more elegant look.
Ingredients
Find the ingredient amounts for this delicious cake written in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of the ingredients needed.
- Fresh sweet pears. They should be ripe pears but still reasonably firm. Bosc pears, Anjou pears, and Bartlett pears are great varieties.
- Lemon juice. To stop the pears from browning and also add a slight acidity.
- Granulated sugar. Brings sweetness.
- Butter. Butter adds a rich flavor and helps create a tender crumb. This can be salted or unsalted butter.
- Olive oil or vegetable oil. Just a tablespoon to keep the cake extra moist.
- Real vanilla extract or paste
- Large eggs. Help with the structure of the cake.
- Milk. Helps to combine the batter and loosen it up a bit.
- Dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Icing sugar. for dusting the finished cake.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C.) Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with 3-inch high sides or a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Peel and core the pears and then slice them in ¼-inch slices. Add them to a medium bowl. Toss them with ½ tablespoon of lemon juice.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Whisk melted butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl until combined.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and the milk until it’s combined. There may be a few small lumps of flour, but that’s okay.
Pour half the cake mixture into the prepared pan.
Arrange half of the pears over the batter, snuggly fitting and overlapping them on.
Spoon over the remaining cake batter and top with the remaining pear slices.
Sprinkle the top of the batter with the extra sugar.
Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Use a knife to loosen the edges, flip the cake onto a wire rack, remove the paper, then flip it onto another rack to finish cooling to room temperature. Transfer to a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Serving
Serve the cake as is or with a dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream. If warm, it’s delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream too.
FAQS
Ripe but firm pears are ideal for baking to ensure they don’t turn mushy. Varieties like Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc work well because they hold their shape and offer a sweet flavor. Avoid using overripe pears.
I really recommended fresh pears for their flavor and texture. However, canned pears (drained well) can be used in a pinch.
It’s best to store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2-3 days. You can refrigerate it for longer storage, covered for up to a week.
Yup! Make sure it’s completely cooled, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. It should keep for up to three months.
Absolutely! Spices like cinnamon or nutmeg can add extra flavor, while adding nuts like walnuts or almonds can provide a crunchy texture. Adding 1 teaspoon of lemon zest will brighten the flavor of the cake even more. For added warmth, you can also substitute 3 tablespoons of the milk with dark rum or add in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
It can be served either way. It will be denser when served cold.
Insert a toothpick or a thin skewer into the cake’s center; if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is done. Also, the cake should be golden brown, and the pears should be tender
Related Recipes
If you liked this recipe, you might like these too!
French Pear Cake
Ingredients
- 3 large pears
- 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 85 g butter melted
- 15 g olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 120 g milk room temperature
Topping
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Serving
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C.) Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with 3-inch high sides or a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
- Peel and core the pears and then slice them into ¼-inch slices. Add them to a medium bowl. Toss them with ½ tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Whisk melted butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl until combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and the milk until combined. There may be a few small lumps of flour, but that's okay.
- Pour half the cake mixture into the prepared pan.
- Arrange half of the pears over the batter, snuggly fitting and overlapping them on. Spoon over the remaining cake batter and top with the remaining pear slices.
- Sprinkle the top of the batter with the extra sugar.
- Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Use a knife to loosen the edges, flip the cake onto a wire rack, remove the paper, then flip it onto another rack to finish cooling to room temperature.
- Transfer to a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
