Cinnamon Spiced Pear Cake

Lauren Caris Short

By Lauren Caris Short

Updated

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5 from 4 votes

This Cinnamon Spiced Pear Cake is a spongy light cake that’s easy to make and combines the subtle sweetness of pears with a hint of cinnamon. The cinnamon sugar topping adds a slight crunch and enhances the pear’s natural flavors.

Side view image of a single layer of cinnamon spiced pear cake cut into slices.

Delicately spiced, tender pears and fluffy sponge come together in this easy, quick cake recipe for a perfect fall snack.

I promise you’re going to love it.

How could you not love a cake that looks as light and fluffy as this?! It’s such a dream to make (and eat).

The cinnamon sugar on top of the cake adds a slight crunch and a subtle spiciness which complements the pears beautifully.

Pears, especially when cooked, are very subtle in flavor so encouraging their sweetness with a little spice only serves to bring out their flavor even more.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Easy to Make. This light and fluffy cake is easy to make for a quick dessert. After combining the cake batter you only need to add the pear slices and bake.
  • Simple Ingredients. This cake uses simple ingredients like flour, sugar, pears, and cinnamon.
Top view image of a single layer of cinnamon spiced pear cake topped with caster sugar.

How to Make Cinnamon Spiced Pear Cake

This is an easy cake to throw together and great for serving with coffee or tea.

Key Ingredients 

  • Caster sugar. This is finely ground cane sugar but not as fine as powdered sugar. You can use cane sugar in its place.
  • Eggs. Large eggs act as a binder for the cake batter. Use eggs that are at room temperature for the best results.
  • All-Purpose Flour. All-purpose flour is all you need for the cake batter. This creates a light cake.
  • Butter. Butter adds a light buttery flavor and helps with the texture of the cake crumb. Use unsalted butter.
  • Milk. The milk provides the perfect amount of moisture in this spongy cake.
  • Pears. They are tender when baked and add a light fruity flavor. Refer to this post for the best types of pears for baking.
  • Ground Cinnamon. This spice adds a warmth and fall feel to this cake.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven. Preheat the oven. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Combine the Ingredients. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and the sugar together for a few minutes, until you have a very pale, creamy mixture and the whisk leaves a trail behind it.

3. Heat the Milk. In a saucepan, add the milk and the butter and heat on low heat until melted and slight bubbles appear. Slowly add the mixture to the egg mixture and combine.

4. Add the Flour. Sift the flour and the baking powder over the egg mixture and gently fold in until combined.

5. Add the Pears. Arrange the pear slices evenly over the top of the cake.

6. Bake the Cake. Bake the cake until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

7. Make the Topping. While the cake is cooling, mix together the caster sugar and the cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on the top of the cooled cake.

close-up view of three stacked slices of cinnamon spiced pear cake

Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions

  • Use cane sugar. Caster sugar (also known as castor sugar), is finely ground cane sugar and cane sugar can easily be used in its place if you do not have caster sugar in your pantry.
  • Try apples. Consider using apples instead of pears for a different flavor that still tastes like a slice of fall.

Storage Recommendations

This cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days but is best eaten the same day it is prepared. You can also freeze this cake for up to 3 months.

Try These Other Pear Recipes

  • Ginger Pear Butter – A simple and delicious pear butter recipe that is made in the crockpot.
  • Apple, Pear, and Rosemary Cobbler – This cobbler is easy to make, and yet is so delicious. It’s made with gluten-free flour and lightly flavored with rosemary.
a photo of square-cut slices from a single-layer cinnamon pear cake
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Cinnamon Spiced Pear Cake

This Cinnamon Spiced Pear Cake is a spongy light cake that's easy to make and combines the subtle sweetness of pears with a hint of cinnamon. The cinnamon sugar topping adds a slight crunch and enhances the pear's natural flavors.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: American, French
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 205kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9×13 baking tray
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 sifter

Ingredients

  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour in addition to the 3/4 cups of flour
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 140 ml milk
  • 2-3 pears peeled and thinly sliced

For the Topping

  • 1 tbsp. caster sugar
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon ground

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 320⁰F (160⁰C). Line a 9×13 inch baking tray with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and the sugar together for a minimum of two minutes, until you have a very pale, creamy mixture and the whisk leaves a trail behind it.
  • In a saucepan, add the milk and the butter and heat on a low heat until the butter is completely melted and the mixture has just started to bubble at the edges. Slowly add the mixture into the egg mixture and combine.
  • Sift the flour and the baking powder over the egg mixture and gently fold in until just combined with no remaining lumps.
  • Arrange the pear slices evenly over the top of the cake. Don’t worry about being too precise, they are going to sink in anyway.
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  • While the cake is cooling, mix together the caster sugar and the cinnamon for the topping. once the cake is cooled, turn it out onto a wire rack and sprinkle the sugar mixture on the top.

Notes

The cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days but is best eaten the same day it is prepared.

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg

Images by Lauren Caris Short.

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0 thoughts on “Cinnamon Spiced Pear Cake”

  1. Pingback: Pear, Chocolate, and Cinnamon Cake - scarletscorchdroppers
  2. This sounds delicious. The slices of pear inside, and the crunchy cinnamon sugar on top look like such a wonderful combination of textures and flavours. I’m pinning this one to try soon :)

    Jennie xx

    Reply
    • Thanks Theodora! It is SUPER fluffy! I think it’s from whipping up the eggs so well in the beginning!