Pear-Almond Cake

Updated Oct. 24, 2025

Pear-Almond Cake
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes, plus cooling
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 10 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
5(978)
Comments
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This simple cake comes together with little fuss: It’s just sliced pears baked in an easy almond flour batter, but in flavor and texture, it’s so much more. Feel free to make it early in the day, or even the day before serving. It keeps well. Use firm, slightly underripe pears if possible.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 8tablespoons/113 grams melted unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
  • 4large eggs, beaten until lightly foamy
  • ½teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½teaspoon almond extract
  • 1⅔cups/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
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch springform cake pan.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.)

  5. 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).

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Ratings

5 out of 5
978 user ratings
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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.

Great recipe, I followed reader suggestions. Weigh your almond flour, 180 grams for me was less than 2 cups. Cut sugar to 3/4 cup, only 1 tbsp sprinkled, doubled almond and vanilla extracts, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, arrange pears nicely, use parchment paper and grease well. 9" springform pan, I baked at 325 convection for 1 hour, no burning or sticking. It does start browning at the 30 min mark, so keep an eye on it.

This cake was heavenly. I added cardamom, as some other bakers suggested, but I also added 1t lemon zest and brushed the baked cake with about 1T each dark rum and Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, as inspired by Vaughn's Almond Cookies. Even without the modifications, this recipe is a winner! https://body-change.today/recipes/1026334-rum-buttered-almond-cookies%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cdiv class="noteactions_noteActions__VlyP0">


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