Easy Italian Pear Cake
This Easy Pear Cake recipe, is a simple Italian cake that is perfect served as an afternoon snack cake, morning breakfast cake or even as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Made with creamy mascarpone and fresh pears it is lovely any time of the day!
I discovered when I came to Italy that Italian cakes, homemade-every-day-cakes were very rarely, if ever, frosted. But most of the times they were dusted with icing sugar or unsweetened cocoa.
This cake and my simple Yogurt cake are perfect for anyone who loves a less sweet cake. A dusting of powdered sugar is all it really needs! If you wish you could also add some finely chopped walnuts or pecans to the cake batter. Or fancy it up for dessert by serving it warm with a dollop of whipped cream!
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – all purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sugar – granulated sugar
- Eggs – room temperature
- Mascarpone – room temperature
- Oil – light olive oil, melted unsalted butter or even vegetable oil if you prefer (Italians use vegetable oil all the time)
- Salt
- Pears- sliced and cut into cubes
Why use room temperature ingredients?
With cakes and other baking, it’s always better to use room temperature ingredients. So, take any cold ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time or sooner if it’s cool in your kitchen. Room temperature ingredients blend easier, creating a silky batter, which will help to create a light tender baked good.
What are the best pears for baking
The best pears for baking are the Anjou pears which are firm and mild tasting, Bartlett pears (Williams) a nice juicy pear or the Bosc which is crisp and sweet. Make sure to use pears that are firm but ripe. In Italy I always use a Williams Pear which is very easily found here, and I find it perfect whenever I make a cake, although I do usually purchase them when they are ripe but on the firmer side.
How to make an Italian Pear Cake
Clean and peel the pears, one pear chop into medium-sized cubes and the other pear thin slices, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, corn starch, baking powder and baking soda.
In a medium bowl, at medium speed beat eggs and sugar until creamy, add mascarpone and continue beating until smooth.
Stir in with a wooden spoon the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, stir gently to combine, then add the oil and stir to combine. Fold in the medium-sized cubed pear.
Spoon the batter into prepared cake pan. Top with sliced pears and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Let cool or serve warm!
Can I add spices to the batter?
Yes, adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg can complement the flavors of the pears and add warmth to the cake.
Substitutions for Mascarpone
You could use creme fraiche or cream cheese, although the taste won’t be exactly the same because they both have a bit of an acidic taste. Some readers have substituted with ricotta cheese, although it might be a good idea to drain it in sieve for 15-20 minutes before using.
Is it necessary to peal pears for baking?
You don’t have to peal the pears if you prefer not too. Leaving the peal on will give you more fiber which plays a key role in your digestive health.
More delicious Italian Cakes
- Easy Italian Apple Cake
- Italian Lemon Bundt Cake
- Italian Mascarpone Cake with Raspberry Glaze
- Classic Italian Bundt Cake
- Italian Chocolate Chip Pear Cake
This Pear cake is one of those cakes that makes the perfect breakfast cake, snack or even dessert cake. And don’t we all love a delicious cake for breakfast?! Besides who can refuse the tasty combination of mascarpone and pears? Enjoy!
Easy Italian Pear Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (43 grams in total)
- 1½ teaspoons teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup mascarpone (room temperature)
- 2½ tablespoons vegetable oil (I use corn or sunflower oil)
- 2 medium pears (room temperature)* (ripe but firm)
Room temperature – remove from fridge 30-45 minutes before using.
*The best pears for baking are Anjou, Bosch and Bartlett. Make sure they are ripe but firm and free of bruises.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 340° (170° celsius). Lightly grease and flour an 8 or 9" (20-23 cm) cake pan ( I used a spring-form pan).
- Clean and peel the pears, one pear chop into medium-sized cubes and the other pear slice into thin slices, set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, corn starch, baking powder and baking soda.
- In a medium bowl, at medium speed beat eggs and sugar until creamy approximately 2 minutes, add the mascarpone and continue beating until smooth.
- Stir in with a wooden spoon the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, stir gently to combine, then add the oil and stir to combine.
- Fold in the medium-sized cubed pear, spoon into prepared cake pan.
- Top with sliced pears and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons (40 grams) granulated sugar.
- Bake approximately 45 – 60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Let cool completely then serve. Enjoy!
Notes
How to store the Pear cake
The completely cooled cake should be wrapped well or stored in an airtight container, store the cake in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. To freeze the cake, wrap the completely cooled cake in plastic wrap then place in a freezer safe bag, it will keep for up to 1-2 months in the freezer. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter for a couple of hours.Nutrition
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**Today (November 20,2016) I am adding an update to this recipe. I have remade this cake today and I am posting a video because I am convinced even more after making it again that it is one of the best cakes on this food blog. I am sorry if anyone is having a problem with it not baking but I urge you to double check to make sure that you are baking it at the proper temperature, whether Fahrenheit or Celsius. Thanks and Happy Sunday.
Updated from February 22, 2015.
Great cake, big hit at a holiday party. I used a little less mascarpone (not by choice: basically the contents of a container which was slightly less than 1 cup) and so used 4 T. of oil to compensate. I used olive oil, and 3 pears rather than 2 (I wanted enough pear slices to lay out nicely on the top of the cake). I also added 1 tsp. of vanilla. I’ll be making this one again.
Hi Lisa, thanks so glad you like the cake. 🙂
Love this cake. I’ve made it often. Lately because there are some gluten intolerant little s I make it with almond flour. If the pears aren’t ripe enough I sprinkle with sugar add a tbs of water and give them a blast in the microwave yard strain off the extra juices I add a bit of cinnamon to the rebake sprinkle. My only comment is there pears tend to sink to the middle so so my cake lacks that lovely lumpy crust. Tempted to try a marscapone frosting but it’s so good as is. And yes I do give it an extra 10 minutes
I’d love a quick tutorial on removing the cake from the spring form pan
Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Susan, thanks so glad you like the cake. I usually grease and flour the pan, let the cake cool then I take a knife around the edge of the cake and remove the pan. Hope that helps. Merry Christmas.
Just made the cake today and added almond extract to the batter – yummy! But at 340 F it took an extra 30 minutes to bake! The middle was still raw batter after 60 minutes. I had to cover the cake with tin foil to prevent the edges from browning too much and upped the temp to 350 F. It stayed in the oven 30 minutes more (with me checking it every 5-6 minutes). I’m guessing it’s the water content of the pears that make it either too wet or too dry. The pears I used were very ripe and juicy.
Hi Kelly, yes I am sure it’s because the pears were too juicy. You need firm but ripe pears. Hope that helps. Have a great week.
Hello, I’ve been very excited to try this recipe but it turned out quite dry. Even my little’s ones commented on how dry it was. I would like to try it again but will need to cut back on the dry ingredients. Should I cut back to maybe just one cup of flour or eliminate the corn starch? With that what is the purpose of the corn starch in this recipe? Thank you so much!
Hi Maria, I really don’t know why it would be dry with all the wet ingredients. But try eliminating the corn starch (corn starch is used to soften the cake) and use cake flour instead. Let me know how it goes.
Hello. You don’t specify what type of sugar to use for sprinkling on the cake and judging by the photos it looks like confectioners sugar. Can you please specify? Thanks
Hi Joan it’s granulated sugar. 🙂
Thanks so much! I will be making it today ❤️
Your welcome, hope you enjoy it.
Hello Rosemary!! I’m back to report that this cake is a keeper! It is delicious to the point that my picky teeneger who does t like pears loved the cake. It was perfectly cooked in 40 minutes at 350F in a round 9inch pan. Thank you. 😍❤️
Hi Joan, thanks so much, so glad it was enjoyed. My daughter who doesn’t like pears either loves this cake too. 🙂 Have a great weekend.
Can I use an 8 inch cake pan instead of 9?
Hi Monica, yes I sometimes do and it will just be higher, and it may need a little bit more of baking time. Hope that helps.
I made the cake last night using cream cheese. I just had a piece. It is delicious!!
Hi Marie, so glad you enjoyed it. Have a great week.
not sure about the 340 American temp? would 325 work if I am using a dark springform?
I made it w orgeat soaked pears and a dash in the batter also cut back a tad on your salt. Added a scant tsp of vanilla. Amazing
want to perfect it please advise oven parameters
it’s a keeper
Victoria
Los Angeles
Hi Victoria I would probably go for 350° then. Hope that helps. Happy New Year.
cake bottom burned at 350 and sides were dark otherwise perfect
did you use a light or dark spring form?
Hi Victoria, I really don’t know why the bottom burned at 350°, it shouldn’t have. Maybe you should check your oven temp to make sure it isn’t showing too high. I use a dark springform pan.
Thanks! will calibrate and now have a nrwthermometer that shows more lines plus Celsius
will do another one this weekend–Bonne Annee!
Hi! I made this cake for thanksgiving. It was a hit! Thank you! Posted photos and now my family in Italy is asking for the recipe. Could you post the Italian/metric version? Thanks!!
Hi Steph, thanks so much and glad it was such a hit. If you go to the recipe underneath it says US Customary – Metric if you click on Metric it will give you the metric version. Hope that helps. Have a great weekend.
How do you store this cake. Refrigerate or counter top??
Hi Teresa, any leftover cake should be refrigerated. I have a really cool house so I leave it out I just cover it really well. But when I make it in the summer I refrigerate it. Although it goes so quickly I usually don’t have time. 🙂
This cake is amazingly good and easy. My family is from Sicily and are very big on fruit. This was a hit. Thank you so much.
Hi Laurette, thanks. And I have to agree, my family and friends love this cake. Have a great week.
Hi Rosemary ~
I have homegrown pears that I would love to use for Thanksgiving company. How does this cake freeze?
Thanks,
Pam
Hi Pamela, I have never frozen this cake (it never lasted that long) but I did find this out “Bake it and let it cool, then freeze on a circle of baking parchment until it’s frozen solid and then wrap well in freezer film or put it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you want to defrost it. Unwrap it and put it on a plate then cover it with cling film and leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours before you dust with icing sugar and serve”. Hope that helps. Let me know. 🙂
Hi …has anyone use greek yogurt instead of mascarpone ? Please
Thank you
hello,
I used greek yogurt. Got great.
Hi Edita, great so glad you liked it. Have a great weekend.
The calorie count you gave for the cake of 387 is that for the whole cake or is for one piece?
Hi Lorna it’s actually for one slice. It’s calculated by the cake being divided by 8 slices, but if you did more slices then of course it would have less calories. Hope that helps.
What kind of pears work best? Anjou, Bartlett, etc?
To tell the truth I think I used William’s (which I just discovered is also known as a Bartlett Pear) here in Italy, but Anjou would work too. Hope that helps.