Moist Pear Cake Recipe

Name: Super Moist Pear Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2¼ cups cake or all purpose flour (sifted); 1½ cup sugar (fine granulated white sugar); ½ cup butter (soft, unsalted); ⅓ cup canola oil (or vegetable oil); 2 tsps. baking powder; 2 tbsps. vanilla extract; 4 whole eggs; ½ cup milk; 3 whole ripe pears (peeled and thinly sliced); ⅛ tsp. salt (Just a pinch); 1 tsp. lemon zest ((optional)); 2 tbsps. confectioner suger (for dusting after baking); 1/4 cup brown sugar (or less as desired); ¾ tsp. cinnamon

4.97 from 108 votes

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Total 1 hr 5 mins

Cook Time 55 mins

Serves servings

By: Mariam E. | August 27, 2021This post may contain affiliate links, read my disclosure policy for details

Loaded with pears, perfectly sweet and melts in the mouth – this Super Moist Pear Cake recipe is divine! Whether you are that person who loves to have a piece of cake with your cup of tea or coffee, or just that person who has a sweet tooth for cakes anytime during the day or after a filling meal, I am sure this will satisfy your cravings.

zoom in shot showing a piece of pear cake from the top.

This cake is the perfect go to cake recipe. It’s so moist and delicious, you will want to make it over and over again. Made with simple cake ingredients and overripe pears, this cake will be a staple in your family’s household.

If you are looking for simple and delicious cake recipes, try my Super Moist Blueberry Bundt Cake, No Bake Chocolate Cake, Molten Chocolate Lava Cake , and this Blueberry Lemon Bread recipe.

close up shot showing a piece of the pear cake.

Why you’ll love this Moist Cake recipe

Convenient: This recipe is not only easy to make, but it’s made with simple ingredients found in your pantry.
Tastes perfect: This recipe was tested many times. The sweetness is perfect, the flavor is perfect, the texture is so moist, it melts in your mouth with very bite.
Very adaptable: You can make this recipe with any kind of fruit you want. Test with your some of your favorite fruits and choose your favorite.

Ingredients needed to make a Pear Cake

ingredients of the pear cakes in ramekins laid out on a marble slab.

AP Flour- I find that this works best for the recipe.
Sugar– I like using granulated cane sugar
Confectioner Sugar– Perfect for dusting because it melts in your mouth.
Butter– Makes the cake soft.
Vegetable Oil– Also adds moisture to the cake.
Baking Powder– Helps the cake rise.
Vanilla Extract– To add a delicious hint of flavor.
Eggs– large eggs, any kind works.
Milk– I like using whole milk to keep the cake rich.
Pears– Use your overripe pears. Any kind works, as long as it’s ripe and peeled. I like using green pears.
Salt– to balance the flavor.
Lemon Zest– Always a great addition to any baking recipe.
Toppings: Brown sugar and cinnamon powder.

How to make a Pear Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Peel and slice the Pears. Set aside.

In an electric mixer bowl, whip up the sugar and softened butter until well combined for about 1 minute.
Add in the vanilla, lemon zest and eggs. Continue mixing on high speed for 1-2 minutes until they are well combined.

Before and after the butter, eggs and sugar got mixed in a glass bowl.

Add in the baking powder, sifted flour and a pinch of salt. Mix again for about 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and oil while mixing on low speed. Mix for another minute or two on low speed.

pear cake mix in the mixer bowl before adding dry ingredients ,milk and oil .

Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease or spray a round spring foam baking pan then pour the batter into the pan. Ideally, a 10 x 3 inch deep pan is the best size.
After placing the batter in your pan, spread a layer of the sliced pears to cover the whole batter. Sprinkle some cinnamon and the brown sugar on top of the pears.

steps showing pear cake in a pan, before and after adding pears, then after baking.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 F oven for 40 minutes then lay over an aluminum foil wrap on top to cover the cake and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Depending on your oven and thickness of your pan, it might take extra baking time. Mine took exactly 50 minutes. Try not to over bake the cake so doesn’t dry out. Always insert a wooden skewer to make sure it’s completely clean before removing the cake out.

pear cake before and after dusting with powdered sugar.

Remove the cake from the oven and cover with a kitchen towel to let it cool down. It may take up to 1 hour. Dust with some confectioner sugar right before serving.

Recipe Tips:

Always use room temperature softened butter.
If you are not serving right away, I recommend not dusting the cake right away. The moisture of the pears will absorb the sugar. Dust the cake right before serving.
Only use real butter. No fake butters.
Do not use a smaller pan other than what is recommended, which is 10 x 3″ round spring foam pan (easy release pan).
Do not use under ripe pears. Always use soft pears, but not mushy pears
Depending on your oven and thickness of the pan, the cake might take less or more time. Insert a tooth pick or skewer into the center of the cake to check if it comes out clean.
You may add nuts or raisins right before the pears before baking, if you like. Just dust them with a little bit of AP flour before doing that.
If you like pears in your cake batter, add 1/2 cup of ripe pureed/mashed pear in the cake batter before baking. It may just take a few more minutes to fully cook over the normal cook time.

close up shot showing the inside of the pear cake where a piece was cut out from.

FAQ’s for making a moist pear cake

How do you make moist pear cake?

Always use overripe pears to make this cake moist. The juices from the pear gives so much moisture to the cake. Also, always use real, whole fat butter. This also helps with the cake’s texture. Never use butter substitutes.

How do you peel and slice pears?

Prepare the pears by peeling, then slicing in half from the stem end to the bottom. You can then use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds and also remove that tough, thin spine that runs up to the stem end.

What to serve with Pear Cake?

This pear cake is great on its own. It can be served warm, room temperature, or cold from the fridge. It’s also great with a scoop of ice cream, coffee, tea or a dollop of whipped cream!

Do I have to peel pears before baking?

I highly recommend peeling the pears before baking, as their skin grows tough when heated.

What to do with lots of ripe pears?

Well of course, make this pear cake! If you have way too many, you can always bake a cake for your neighbor or a friend.

Can I freeze Pear Cake?

Yes, you can absolutely freeze this pear cake. However the texture of the pear slices will change a little after freezing. I would also wrap it very well to preserve any freezer burns, which will dry up the cake. You can freeze for up to one month. But this cake will not last more than a couple of days, so I highly doubt you will need to freeze it. It will be gone in no time.

A piece of cake being taken out of the whole pear cake.

Mouthwatering sweet treats to try

I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Super Moist Pear Cake recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!

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