We’re here to show you how to make a pear cake without chocolate and without chopping the fruit into pieces – because it should be the real star of the dessert
This easy recipe has an added bonus: its presentation. As the pears are a unique and original part of the decoration and not just thrown into the batter, the cake is beautiful to display on the table. In fact, the pears are left whole or cut in half. How does that work, you might ask? Basically, you don’t have to slice or cube the pears to incorporate them into the mixture; just place them on top and let them sink into a batter of eggs, butter, and flour before baking.
The batter
There’s actually no specific recipe for this cake, but if there’s a certain batter you like or are particularly good at preparing, you can use that. You can add the pears to a traditional Italian paradise cake, for example, or even incorporate them into a batter made with yogurt. If you are vegan or have certain intolerances, you can even opt for an egg-free, dairy-free variety.
Cooking the pears
The pears should be peeled, cooked, and then simply cut in half. You can also use them raw, but there’s a chance the fruit will be too hard once the cake is ready or, even worse, dry and dark. To cook the pears, just boil them for a few minutes in a syrup made of water and sugar, which you can flavor with rosemary, cinnamon, bay leaves, or whatever you prefer. Once drained, let them cool, then place them on top of the batter in the baking pan.
How to cut the pears
You can cut the pears in half or leave them whole, just make sure they’re peeled and cored. It may seem strange, but leave the stem on! It looks beautiful as a decoration. Just remove the core from the base of the pear using a knife, pour the batter into the baking pan, and immerse the pear upright. Only the tip of the fruit with the stem should stick out of the batter; the rest of the pear will be unveiled once you cut into the cake. Magic!
Baking the cake
This will depend on the batter you’ve chosen, but it usually takes around 30 minutes at 350°F on the convection setting, which will make the cake nice and soft. To caramelize the pears in the oven, sprinkle them with brown sugar and top with a pat of butter before baking.
Pears in red wine
For some added elegance and a more intense flavor, you can cook the pears in a syrup made from red wine, water, and spices. In this case, however, opt for a dark chocolate batter, such as the classic chocolate pear cake.
A unique savory version
How good are pears and cheese together? Our grandparents taught us that, didn’t they? Well, try to imagine an delicious savory pear cake. To make it, simply combine three eggs with three cups of Italian 00 flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, a cup of milk, 1/2 cup of sunflower seed oil, salt, pepper, and a handful of Parmesan cheese. You can also add in herbs such as thyme, as well as cubes of gorgonzola or another flavorful cheese. Cut the pears in half and boil them in water with bay leaves and rosemary. Pour the batter into a cake pan and place the pears on top. Bake at 350°F for about 35 minutes.