I bake to feel like I have one small win in a busy day. This cake does that. It is a moist pear cake with cream cheese that turns plain fridge staples into something you actually want to share. My mum, who worked in a bakery, always said there is no wrong combo if you melt cheese on top. It is not pizza, but the cream cheese gives the crumb a gentle tang that keeps the cake from tasting too sweet.
I made this on a proper Bristol rainy afternoon once. Ellie was using the kitchen floor as a trampoline while I tried not to lose my mind. The batter came together fast and the house smelled like cinnamon and pears within minutes. It feels like a little rescue when you need comfort but have no time to faff around.
It is forgiving, which I love. You do not need bakery skills. If you can measure, beat until pale and fold gently, you are on the right track. Actually, scratch that about being fancy. Most of the time I just shove everything in and hope for the best. It works. Mostly.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F, and grease a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat together ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups sugar, 6 ounces cream cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Add 2 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
In a bowl, toss 3 cups chopped pears with 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Gently fold the pears into the prepared cake batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar evenly over the batter.
Bake until a skewer inserted into the center emerges clean and the edges start to pull away from the sides, about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
Slice and serve!
Preheat your oven to three hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a nine inch pan with butter or oil so the cake slips out without a fight. A springform pan is handy if you have one, but a regular tin will do if you grease it well. I learned that the hard way after prising a cake for twenty minutes and swearing at a saucepan.
Grab a small bowl for the cinnamon sugar topping, a medium bowl for the dry ingredients and a large bowl for the wet. A hand mixer saves your arm, but a wooden spoon works if your mixer is hiding. Have a sharp knife and a board for chopping about three cups of pears, roughly three medium pears. Toss the pear pieces in a little of the cinnamon sugar so they do not sink straight to the bottom. A spatula or wooden spoon is perfect for folding so you do not deflate the batter. Finally, a wire rack for cooling and a skewer to check doneness. That is it. Nothing dramatic.
Pick ripe pears that give a little when squeezed. They add juice and sweetness without you needing to up the sugar. If your pears are overly soft, drain any obvious extra liquid before folding them in. When creaming the butter, sugar and cream cheese, beat until pale and fluffy. It takes a few minutes and it matters. Cold cream cheese fights you, so warm it a bit first.
Fold the fruit in gently, and if the kitchen is humid dust the pear pieces with a spoonful of flour so they do not go gummy. Ovens are all divas, literally. Mine runs hot so I start checking around the one hour mark. Use a skewer inserted in the center to test doneness. If it comes out with a few crumbs you are good. If wet batter clings, give it a little longer.
Tip: this cake works well for baking with fresh pears because the fruit keeps things juicy. If pears sink to the bottom, call it rustic. I know, I have been there and it still tasted ace.
Want a bit of crunch? Stir in a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans with the pears. Swap a little flour for ground almonds to change the texture to something more rustic and nutty. Want a spiced pear cake? Add a pinch of nutmeg or ground ginger to the dry mix to give deeper warmth.
For a simple autumn twist, mix chopped apples with the pears. That is an easy fall cake recipe if you want a more seasonal feel and a touch of tartness. If you need a lighter version, swap cream cheese for Greek yogurt and butter for oil. It is less rich but still very tender.
Slice it warm and set a spoonful of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and watch it melt into the cinnamon sugar crust. For a brunch spread, cut into squares and scatter fresh berries. A dusting of powdered sugar makes it look like you tried harder than you did.
Pair with coffee, chai or a robust black tea. If you want something tangy, a side of Greek yogurt with honey balances the sweetness. Or keep it honest and eat it with a fork in front of the telly. That is what I do on the best days.
how to make a simple pear cake is a question I get a lot. Short answer: do not overthink it. Use room temperature ingredients, beat the butter, sugar and cream cheese until pale, add eggs one at a time, fold in the dry mix until just combined and then gently fold in the pears. Bake until a skewer comes out mostly clean.
Can you use overripe fruit? Yes, and that answers what to do with ripe pears: chop them carefully, drain any excess liquid and maybe reduce the sugar by a quarter cup. Overripe pears can make the cake extra juicy and sweet, which is often a good thing.
Want to serve many people? To make a dessert for a crowd, put the batter in a thirteen by nine inch pan and increase ingredients by half. Check for doneness around fifty minutes and remember every oven is different. I served this like that for Ellies birthday and it fed everyone happily.
No mixer? Use a wooden spoon and some elbow grease to cream the butter, sugar and cream cheese. It takes longer but it works. That is the beauty of this recipe: it teaches you how to be flexible and still get a lovely cake.
One slice of this soft and moist Cinnamon Pear Cake, and you will see why it’s one of my favorite fall cake recipes. A simple cinnamon-sugar topping gives this cake its warm and comforting fall flavor, while juicy pears create a super moist crumb. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and share a photo with us @cookmerecipes on Instagram. Happy baking!
So nice recipe. I really like it.
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