Pear-Almond Cake
Updated Feb. 12, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour 20 minutes, plus cooling
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes, plus cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 8tablespoons/113 grams melted unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 4large eggs, beaten until lightly foamy
- ½teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½teaspoon almond extract
- 2cups/180 grams almond flour
- 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar, plus about 2 tablespoons more for sprinkling
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- ½teaspoon baking powder
- 2large firm-ripe pears, peeled, in ¼-inch slices
- ¼cup/25 grams sliced almonds
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
430 calories; 27 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 120 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a springform cake pan.
- Step 2
In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract and almond extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking powder. Combine both mixtures, beating briefly, until smooth.
- Step 3
Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Arrange pear slices over the top in a random pattern. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over pears, then scatter sliced almonds lightly over the surface. Place the dish on a baking sheet.
- Step 4
Bake for about 1 hour, or until nicely browned on top and an inserted cake tester emerges clean. Cool until you can handle the pan. Remove springform, using a butter knife to help release the cake, and let cool completely. (The cake will taste better after several hours and up to 1 day.)
- Step 5
Dust cake very lightly with powdered sugar. Cut wedges and serve directly from the base of the springform (or straight from the pie pan).
Private Notes
Comments
Very tasty. Modifications: 10" spring form; Used 1/2 almond flour and 1/2 regular flour, cut sugar to 3/4C (was still very sweet), added some nutmeg, cardamom and ginger, used 3 pears arranged in concentric circles (per previous comment, no random scattering), super generous amt. of almonds and only 1 TBL of sugar for sprinkling. If your pan is slightly larger check for doneness at 50-55 minutes. Everyone loved it.
Please, no random pattern w/ the pears. Make it as pretty as possible. You must feed the eye as well as the mouth. You’ll be glad you did.
Confusing: do you layer the pear slices so they sink through on top of each other? Of just make one even layer on top? And should the slices be quartered or halved or the entire shape of the pear?
Delicious! The pear arrangement does NOT matter as they are covered up by the almonds/powdered sugar and you can't really tell how they're arranged when you cut into this deliciousness! I did 1 cup of regular flour and 1 cup of almond flour (simply because I only had a cup of almond flour but also I think lessening the fat in any way helps at my age). I also only did 3/4 cup of sugar.
This was delicious, I think especially because the recipe used almond flour rather than wheat flour (unlike Melissa Clark's very good honey-glazed pear upside down cake, also good but not as good)--and extremely easy to make. The cake pan (9 inches?) should not be too deep or the top won't brown.Luc
The first time I accidentally made it with the pears below the cake and it was also delicious, a little more of upside down cake vibe. With the pears on top it was also yummy. Great to have a delicious starch and gluten free dessert with the pears from my tree.