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An easy Italian pear cake is the perfect pairing with a cup of cocoa for breakfast or snack time. This cake is made with sweet and creamy mascarpone cheese and fresh pears, baked until tender and juicy. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face!
Pears are such underrated Autumn fruits, but we’re going to change that with this Italian Pear Cake! This delicious cake is going to put pears front and center this season. It has exceptionally tender crumbs thanks to the addition of mascarpone.
If you love pears as I do, let me tell you they are delicious in smoothies and sandwiches too. If you have a couple of overripe pears, throw them into a Pear Smoothie for breakfast. Then pack this Prosciutto and Pear Panini for lunch, it has the perfect savory-sweet taste. And then don’t forget a slice of this Italian Pear Cake for dessert.
How to make pear cake recipe with mascarpone
What type of pear is best for baking?
Anjou and Bosc are best for baking because they are firm, crisp and won’t fall apart when cooked. However, in a pinch, you can use Bartlett pear, make sure they are ripe but firm.
In general, you should bake this pear cake with the type of pear you love to eat so you can truly enjoy it.
- Start by dicing and slicing the pears. You’ll use the diced pears inside the cake batter and the sliced pears will be added on top.
- Mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients into two separate mixing bowls before combining them together.
- Once the cake batter is formed, fold in the diced pears.
- Make sure to brush the cake pan with some melted butter before adding the cake batter. Arrange the sliced pears on top, brush pear with reserved butter so they don’t dry out in the oven and sprinkle reserved sugar on top for shine.
- Bake it at 350°F for 45 minutes.
- Allow it to cool completely before unmolding from the cake pan.
What pan to bake pear cake in?
Use a 9″ springform pan to bake this cake in so you can remove it from the pan easily. If you don’t have a springform cake pan, you could use a regular 9″ cake pan, or even an 8″ cake pan.
Make sure to butter and line the pan with parchment paper so the cake doesn’t stick.
If using a small size pan, you may need to increase the baking time, about 5 – 10 minutes.
Check doneness 5 minutes before the cake is supposed to finish baking to ensure you don’t over-bake since oven temperature can vary.
How do you prepare pears for baking?
Should you peel pears?
For eating you should leave the skin on since pear skin has a lot of nutrients. However, when baking, I like to peel pears for a more uniform texture whether it’s for this Italian pear cake, a pear tart, or even a pear bread pudding. But if you don’t peel the pears, the treats would be just as delicious.
How do you core a pear without a corer?
You don’t need a corer to core apples and pears. Just cut the pear in half and use a melon baller or a teaspoon to scoop out the core. Alternately, quarter the pear and use a knife to cut a notch to remove the core. I use the knife method because it’s one less equipment to clean.
More easy cakes
This Italian pear cake may sound fancy but it’s actually super easy to make. I think of it as a simple coffee cake without streusel. You can serve it for breakfast with coffee as well as for dessert with a dreamy homemade hot chocolate. Who doesn’t love a double-duty cake like that? Here are even more easy cakes for you to love this Fall:
- Pumpkin Apple Spice Bundt Cake
- Cardamom Apple Coffee Cake
- Banana Coffee Cake
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bundt Cake
- Tangerine Olive Oil Cake
- Cinnamon Ripple Sweet Potato Bundt Cake
If you make this peach cake recipe, we’d love to see a photo. Tag us on Instagram @wildwildwhisk and @ohsweetbasil. Happy baking!
Italian pear cake
Ingredients
- 2 Small Pears, ripe but firm
- 3 oz Unsalted Butter, melted, divided
- 8 oz Mascarpone, room temperature
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 ¼ Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ⅔ Cup Granulated Sugar, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Peel the pears. Dice one pear into bite-size cubes and cut the second one into ⅛” slices. Set aside.2 Small Pears
- Melt butter in the microwave for 30 - 40 seconds. Brush a 9” springform cake pan with some melted butter. Reserve about 1 teaspoon to brush on the pears later.3 oz Unsalted Butter
- Add the remaining melted butter to a medium mixing bowl along with mascarpone, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat with a whisk until smooth.3 oz Unsalted Butter, 8 oz Mascarpone, 2 Large Eggs, 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- In a small mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Reserve about 1 teaspoon of sugar to sprinkle on top later. Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk until evenly distributed.1 ¼ Cup All-Purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, 1 ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder, ⅔ Cup Granulated Sugar
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient in the medium mixing bowl and fold with a spatula until combined. Fold the diced pears into the batter.
- Transfer cake batter into the prepared cake pan, use the spatula to flatten the top down. Add sliced pears on the top. Brush pears with the reserved butter and sprinkle the reserved sugar over the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes until the top is light brown and an inserted toothpick in the middle comes out clean with just a few crumbs on it.
- Allow cake to cool completely before unmolding from the cake pan.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I used the exact measurements, temp and time. Extra time also, but couldn’t get it fully baked without burning the top. Raw in the middle:(
Hi Sophie! Was the batter really thick before baking it? It sounds like maybe something was measured incorrectly. I’m so sorry for the frustration!
Lovely cake! I didn’t have mascarpone so I substituted ricotta which worked just fine. Otherwise I followed the recipe. My family devoured it. The littlest child rated it better than pizza, which is rare praise indeed. The pear chunks melted into the batter making it extremely moist, while the top and sides had a lovely golden caramel color and slightly crisp texture. I would serve this cake for company – it’s so simple but everyone will be impressed.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Better than pizza?! Now that is saying something! Thank you so much for the feedback!
Hi! I’m wondering if I can use oil rather than butter in the baking? I have a small amount of butter on hand which I would use to brush on top. Thank you!
To substitute oil for butter, use about 3/4 as much oil as the amount of butter called for in the recipe, in this case 2.25 oz or 4.5 tablespoons.
Hi Carrian,
I fortuitously stumbled upon your recipe for Italian Pear Cake recently, and am planning to make it for Christmas or New Year’s. Thank you for sharing — it looks delicious!
Just wondering, though … have you found that the fruit folded into the batter sinks and ends up at the bottom of the cake by the time it’s done baking?
If so, what might you suggest to prevent this from happening?
Thank you, and Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Hello! The batter is pretty thick so that helps keep the pears suspended in the cake. You can also toss the pears in some flour, but I honestly haven’t had a problem with it. Enjoy!!
Delicious recipe and so easy to make. Thank you so much for shearing this wonderful cake
❤️
Thank you for the feedback Vesna!
This is the most amazing cake ever especially for breakfast. Even my husband likes it! And he doesn’t like trying new things. The subtle sweetness of the pears mixed with the smooth moist texture of the cake makes you want to come back for seconds. It’s light and not overly sweet which is what makes it pair so well with a cup of hot coffee or tea in the morning but it can also be brought up to another level for dessert by adding a warm raspberry coulis on the side. A definite crowd pleaser.
Wow! Thanks for the great feedback! I should start having you write my recipe posts! Haha! You have such a great way with words! So glad you enjoyed!