Pear and Chocolate Cake

This pear and chocolate cake is loaded with sweet, fresh pears. A delicious and impressive chocolate pear dessert that's simple to make, too.

Whenever my favorite fruit are in season, I love making desserts with them. There's always a fresh, homemade goodness that comes from using fresh fruit.

This chocolate cake with pears is amazing. I never expected the flavors to go so well together! I think you will love it, too!

This chocolate and pear cake recipe is made with fresh ripe pears. It's a very simple chocolate and pear dessert that also makes a great snack cake. And it's perfect with coffee.

Love desserts with fresh fruit? Try my Portokalopita Greek Orange Phyllo Cake, my Fresh Cherry Dessert (Clafoutis Aux Cerises), my Lemon Pomegranate Cake, or my Fresh Peach Upside Down Cake.

Why you'll love this recipe:

• It's a cinch to make. You only need a few simple ingredients and 1 pan. No decorating skills, either, as the sliced pears on top make a beautiful design. That's why this pear and chocolate cake recipe is perfect for novice bakers, too.
• It's pretty. This chocolate pear cake is perfect for entertaining or as a food gift. It would also make a nice birthday cake.
• It tastes fantastic. Chocolate and pears are incredible together.

What does this chocolate pear cake taste like?

This easy pear and chocolate cake is moist, light fluffy and chocolatey. Together with the mildly spiced pears, the flavor combination is wonderful. The pear pieces inside give a nice burst of freshness! I also like the fact that this cake is not overly sweet, so it's great with ice cream or whipped cream.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Ingredients for pear chocolate cake

• Pears: I use fresh, ripe pears that are slightly firm. You can use any variety you like.
• Spices & salt: I use ground cinnamon, ginger and salt.
• Butter: I use unsalted butter.
• Sugar: I use light brown sugar for this recipe. It gives a nice caramel flavor that is wonderful with pears and chocolate.
• Eggs: I use 2 medium organic eggs.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: I use dutch-process cocoa powder for the ultimate chocolate flavor. Not sure what the difference is between Dutch-process cocoa and natural cocoa powder? Check out my post about it here.
• Flour & leaveners: I use all purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Buttermilk: I often make my own homemade buttermilk by adding vinegar to milk. You can definitely make this cake with regular milk instead of buttermilk, if you prefer.
• Oil: I use light vegetable oil as it really helps to make the cake moist.
• Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract.

Equipment you'll need:

• mixing bowls
• a sifter or sieve
• parchment paper
• hand mixer or stand mixer
• 8 inch (20 cm) baking pan or springform pan

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE PEAR CAKE

Step-by-step instructions

First grease the pan and then line the bottom and the sides with parchment paper. Set it aside.

Then you make the cake.

STEP 1

Start by peeling, coring and chopping 3 pears into small chunks. Try and make them the same size. Then add the cinnamon and ginger and toss or stir everything together. Make sure to cover all the pear pieces. Set it aside.

STEP 2

Sift the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the salt and whisk to combine. Set it aside.

STEP 3

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, about 2-3 minutes.

STEP 4

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

STEP 5

Pour in the oil, buttermilk and vanilla and mix to combine. It's OK if it looks a little curdled.

STEP 6

After that, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. I like to do it in 2 or 3 batches.

STEP 7

Then gently fold in the pear pieces.

STEP 8

Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and even out the surface.

STEP 9

Slice the remaining 2 pears. Cut each pear in half, starting from the stem at the top so you have 2 pieces for each pear.

STEP 10

Then cut each piece vertically into slices that are about ¼ inch thick (about 0.6cm).

STEP 11

Then arrange the slices on top of the batter as shown in picture 11 above.

Finally, sprinkle some brown sugar on the top and bake the cake.

Give it some time to cool before removing the cake from the pan.

I love dusting it with some powdered sugar before serving.

Recipe Notes

Storage Tips

You can store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to about 3-4 days.

Freezing Tips

I've never frozen this cake because it doesn't usually last that long in my house. Technically, though, you should be able to freeze it. I wouldn't keep it in the freezer longer than a month, though.

VARIATIONS & ADD-INS

I think this cake would be great with some mini chocolate chips in the batter. You could also add some chopped nuts for more texture.

Serve this cake with some vanilla ice cream and homemade chocolate syrup or homemade salted caramel sauce for a more indulgent treat. It is so good with salted caramel sauce!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• I always weigh my ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy and consistent results. This is particularly important when measuring flour.
• I used a cake pan for this recipe, but a springform pan would make it a lot easier to remove the cake without the risk of ruining the design on top.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Happy Baking!

MORE CAKE RECIPES TO TRY!

Let me know how this pear and chocolate cake turns out for you in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you!

Recipe

Pear and Chocolate Cake

This pear and chocolate cake is loaded with sweet, fresh pears. A delicious and impressive chocolate pear dessert that's simple to make, too.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, European

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 - 8, approximately

Author: Voula

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• mixing bowls
• sifter or large sieve
• hand mixer (or stand mixer)
• 8 inch (20 cm) baking pan or springform pan
• parchment paper

Ingredients

For the filling

• ▢ 3 small, ripe, but firm pears
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

For the cake

• ▢ 1 cup + 6 tablespoons (175g) all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup (50g/2oz) unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Dutch-processed)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (125g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
• ▢ 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
• ▢ ¼ cup (60ml) light vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ cup (125ml) buttermilk, at room temperature (or make your own by adding ½ tablespoon vinegar to ½ a cup of milk and stirring together)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping

• ▢ 2 small, ripe, but firm pears
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ▢ powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Note:

For best results, please read through the full post before beginning the recipe.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350° F/ 180° C.
• Grease the pan and line the bottom and the sides with parchment paper. Set it aside.

Make the filling

• Peel, core, and chop 3 pears into chunks and transfer them to a small bowl. Try and make them the same size. Then add the cinnamon and ginger and stir everything together. Make sure to cover all the pear pieces. Set it aside.

Make the cake

• Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the salt and whisk to combine everything. Set it aside.
• In another large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a hand mixer for about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in the oil, buttermilk and vanilla and mix to combine. It's OK if it looks a little curdled.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2 or 3 batches, and beat until just combined. Scrape the bowl as needed to mix everything well, but don't overmix.
• Gently fold in the pear pieces.
• Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and even out the surface.

Make the topping

• Slice the remaining 2 pears. Cut each pear in half, starting from the stem at the top so you have 2 pieces for each pear. Then cut each piece vertically into slices that are about ¼ inch thick (about 0.6cm). Arrange the slices on top of the batter as shown in the picture in the post.
• Sprinkle the top with 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar.
• Bake the cake for about 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Let it cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing it. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Every oven is different, so baking times may vary. Check on the cake after about 40-45 minutes.

Storage Tips:

You can store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to about 4 days.

Picture Tutorial & Tips:

I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success.

Baking Measurements:

I have used weight measurements for all the recipes on this website. Even though I have also included American volume measurements for convenience, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh all ingredients for the most accurate measurements. Digital kitchen scales are more precise than cups, which is so important in baking, and they give the most accurate, consistent results. Happy baking!

©Pastry Wishes

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