Description
This Italian Pear Cake is a moist and tender cake made with ripe pears, combining the subtle sweetness of fruit with a delicate vanilla-flavored batter. Baked to a golden perfection, it’s perfect served dusted with confectioner’s sugar and accompanied by freshly whipped cream or ice cream for an elegant dessert or comforting treat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Fruit
- 3 large firm ripe pears or 4 small (Bosc or Bartlett), peeled and cut into pieces
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder (14 g)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk yogurt
- 1/2 cup butter (113 g), melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (2 g)
For Serving
- Confectioner sugar for dusting
- Freshly whipped heavy cream, if desired
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Line a 9.5-inch round baking pan (springform or bundt pan) with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and allow it to reach temperature before baking.
- Mix Sugar and Eggs: In a large bowl, use an electric or stand mixer on medium speed to whip the granulated sugar and eggs together until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for a light texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Gently stir in the yogurt, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla extract with a fork or spatula until the mixture is smooth, avoiding overmixing.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, folding gently until just combined to avoid a dense cake. Then, fold in the peeled and cut pears carefully to evenly distribute them without breaking the fruit.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. To prevent over-browning, tent the cake with foil during the last 10 minutes if necessary.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, dust with confectioner’s sugar and optionally serve with freshly whipped cream or ice cream to enhance indulgence.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm pears such as Bosc or Bartlett for the best texture and flavor.
- Ensure eggs are at room temperature for better emulsification and volume when whipped with sugar.
- Do not overmix after adding dry ingredients to keep the cake tender.
- Cover the cake with foil towards the end of baking if the top starts to brown too quickly to avoid burning.
- This cake pairs wonderfully with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of cake)
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
