Description
This fresh pear cake is rich and buttery and incredibly moist. It’s filled with soft and tender chunks of fruit and has a crispy sugary crust on top.
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (see notes)
- 1/2 cup (125g) sour cream
- 3 pears (2 peeled and diced, 1 peeled and sliced)
Topping
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9″ springform pan or cake pan.
- Using an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and almond extract.
- Slowly mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, alternating with 1/2 the sour cream. Begin and end with the flour.
- Fold in the chopped pears. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Spread the batter out evenly and top with sliced pears. Sprinkle with sugar (and almonds if using).
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
This cake can be stored tightly wrapped or placed in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Substitutions:
- Almond extract – A touch of almond extract adds this luxurious richness to the cake that is absolutely divine, so I highly recommend it. However, if you don’t have it on hand or if it’s not your thing, you can replace it with more vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Sour cream – Use full-fat or low-fat, not fat-free. Can be substituted with buttermilk or plain yogurt.
- Pears – You can also use this recipe to make an apple cake. If so, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the sugar topping.