This Pear Cake Recipe with Streusel Topping is the perfect fall and winter treat – make it with fresh or canned pears for an easy dessert!
We are so glad to be sharing this delicious Pear Cake recipe with you today!! You all have LOVED our other streusel-style cake recipes we’ve posted in the past, like this Rhubarb Streusel Cake and this Peach Streusel Cake, so we just knew this Pear Cake with Streusel Topping recipe would be a big hit for this fall and winter season! In case you’re as big a fan of streusel-anything as we are, We’ve also shared these Rhubarb Streusel Muffins, these Blueberry Streusel Muffins, and these Peach Cobbler Muffins too!
There’s just something special about this Pear Cake – we’ve been living in Europe for a number of years now and many Europeans have no time for traditional North American cakes made with mountains of frosting. That’s just not a thing here, and if we had a dollar for every time someone said “it’s too sweet!” after trying one of our North American-style cakes here, we’d be rich. But our baking style is slowly evolving and we are embracing less sugary desserts like this cake that are just as rich and tender and delicious as anything from our home continent.
Pears are the perfect fruit for fall and winter, and this cake recipe is versatile enough that you can use fresh or canned pears! It’s such a simple dessert that you are going to LOVE!
You will need these items on hand for making this Pear Cake recipe (affiliate links):
- a mixing bowl
- a rubber spatula
- a hand mixer or a stand mixer
- 9 x 13 rectangle cake pan
- whisk
- liquid measuring cups
- measuring cups and spoons
You need these ingredients on hand to make this Pear Cake with Streusel Topping:
- unsalted butter
- white sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- full fat sour cream
- baking powder
- all purpose flour
- salt
- fresh or canned pears
- cinnamon
EASY NO FAIL MUFFIN RECIPES AND BAKING TIPS
Get my easy no-fail muffin baking e-cookbook!
Time needed: 1 hour and 2 minutes
Follow these tips to make this delicious Pear Cake with Streusel Topping!
- Room temperature butter.
Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat until fluffy and pale in colour. The butter needs to be at room temperature so it integrates well with the other wet ingredients.
- Scrape down the bowl.
It’s important to scrape down the bowl as new ingredients get added to ensure everything is mixed thoroughly.
- Whisk dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and whisk together to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
- Do not over-mix!
Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and beat on a low speed until there are streaks of flour. Then fold in the rest with a spatula until the flour has disappeared. Over-mixing will make the cake is dry and dense.
- Into the corners.
Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan and use a spatula to level it out and to push it into the corners of the pan.
- Toppings.
On top of the batter place sliced pears and sprinkle the streusel mixture.
- Bake until golden brown.
Bake the cake until the topping is slightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
What is Streusel?
Streusel is a crumbly topping sprinkled on top of the batter. It adds a sweet flavour to the cake.
Can I make this Pear Cake recipe ahead of time?
This cake is best the day it is made but it can store well at room temperature for up to two days if it is in an airtight container.
Why is it important to have room temperature ingredients?
Room temperature milk, eggs, sour cream, and butter allows the ingredients to better integrate with each other. It creates a smooth cake batter.
Can I use low fat sour cream instead?
No, low fat sour cream has a higher water content and thickening agents that will throw off the recipe. Full fat sour cream gives flavour and helps the cake keep its shape.
We hope you love this Pear Cake as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite way to enjoy pears? We’d love to know!
Looking for more recipes like this? You’ll LOVE these!
EASY NO FAIL MUFFIN RECIPES AND BAKING TIPS
Get my easy no-fail muffin baking e-cookbook!
If you made this, share a photo!
Are you trying this recipe? Use the comment form below to share your take; now with support for image uploads and comment voting!
Pear Streusel Cake
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature (full fat is best)
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter for greasing the cake pan
- 3-4 fresh pears peeled and thinly sliced (alternatively, use an 850 ml large can of canned pears)
For the streusel topping:
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the butter and the sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat them together until the mixture is fluffy and becomes a pale colour (about 4-5 minutes). It’s important that the butter is at room temperature before you begin. This will allow it to integrate properly with the other wet ingredients.
- Feel free to use a hand mixer and large mixing bowl if you prefer.
- Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat them in on medium speed until the mixture is smooth. It’s a good idea to scrape down the bowl periodically to make sure everything is incorporated evenly.
- Add the milk and sour cream and beat in these ingredients on low speed until they’re combined.
- To a separate bowl add the flour, the baking powder and the salt and mix these ingredients together with a fork or a wire whisk. Once they’re all incorporated, dump the flour mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer with the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and watch the batter come together. As soon as you see the batter form with streaks of flour throughout, turn off the mixer and remove the bowl.
- Over-mixing at this stage can cause an overly dense and dry cake with large air bubbles, which you definitely don’t want. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl by hand and gently fold in the remaining flour. Be sure to stop folding as soon as everything is combined.
- Grease a 9×13 rectangular glass cake pan with some butter and pour the batter into the pan, using the spatula to push the batter into the corners and even out the surface. Don’t worry, the batter will seem thick but it’s supposed to be like that.
- Spread the sliced pears over the top of the batter.
- In a clean bowl mix together the flour, sugar and cinnamon for the streusel topping. Add in the melted butter and mix everything together with a fork until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the cake and the pears, making sure to spread it at evenly as possible and into all the corners.
- Bake the cake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 47-50 minutes. When it’s finished baking the topping will be slightly browned on top and when you insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake it will come out clean.
- Try to let the cake cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it…if you can wait that long!
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Mmm this sounds like such a good flavor idea!!
Thanks! It’s really delish!
You had me at streusel topping! I can’t wait to try the pear cake!!
Thanks so much!
I would love a piece of your pear streusel cake with my coffee right now!!
It goes GREAT with coffee!
This looks really amazing! I need to give this a try!
Thanks! You’ll LOVE it!
How many 15oz cans of pears would you use in this recipe?
You would need 2 cans.
How long do I need to drain the pears to remove liquid from them?
I don’t. I just slice them and use them, for canned pears, you can take them out on a paper towel lined plate and then slice them. Happy baking!
This sounds so delicious. Going to have to grab some pears!
You’ll love it!
This is one gorgeous cake! I wish I had a slice right now!
Thanks so much!
This looks great! I have to bake it up soon!
Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy!
This looks delicious! Have you ever put spices into the cake batter itself? Just wondering if it would overpower the pears? I’m a nut for extra spice in things haha!
Yes, you absolutely could! I’m a purist when it comes to this cake recipe, and I do think it might overpower the pears as they are so mild in flavour.
I love pears!! I never think to bake with them. Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks so much!
This sounds absolutely amazing! I love pears and can’t wait for my first bite of this cake!
Thank you!
I would love a slice of this cake with my coffee! It looks faantastic!!
Thanks!:)
This is such an amazing holiday dessert!
Thanks!
What a great idea for a little sweet tooth! Looks heavenly!
Thanks so much!
I am always ready for a piece of cake! This one is divine!
Thanks so much! Glad you loved it!
Oh I have never heard of pear cake- looks delicious and so moist! YUM!
Thanks!
I feel like pears are definitely not used enough in desserts! Streusel cake is the perfect way to use them!
Thank you!! Yes we also like the flavour and the crispiness of the pears in this streusel cake.
We recently bought a farm with a very productive pear tree!! Cant say I’ve ever even eaten a pear, but mine are too beautiful to waste. I just made my first pear cake, it’s in the oven now!!!
I’ll let you know very soon how it turned out….
Hope you love it! 🙂
Amazing!
Thanks!
I have SO MANY pears from our pear tree this year! I made two of these, and they’re SO GOOD! I didn’t have sour cream, but I read that cottage cheese blended with a little lemon juice is a good substitute. I’m unsure how much of a difference it made, but my husband and I really enjoyed this cake, even with the alteration.
Thanks so much for letting us know! Glad you liked them!!
Going in the oven right now! Super excited!! Hopefully, everything works out, and I’ll let you know how it goes. 🙂
Let me know how you liked it! 🙂
Could you bake this in muffin tins so that it is easier to freeze? Thank you.
Yes, you can. I’ve never done this so I can’t comment on baking time, but I’d suggest trying this recipe with pears instead of rhubarb: https://thebusybaker.ca/best-ever-rhubarb-streusel-muffins/
I just made this with gluten free flour blend and it turned out so yummy! Thanks for helping me not waste my pears!
I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
You’re welcome Amy!! Very glad it turned out so yummy!
Made this today with the last of the ripe pears from my pear tree! Excellent recipe! Just the right amount of sweetness! The cake is moist and delicious! Will definitely make every fall!
Thank you Deb!! Really glad to hear you like the recipe so much!🙂
It is a great and easy recipe! I would recommend it to anyone. An absolute crowd pleaser.
Thanks so much for your feedback Marie!!🙂
It’s amazing!!!! Perfect sugar and very moist. Will definitely make it again. Enjoyed it so much with my coffee.
And can’t wait to try your some other recipes.
Thanks so much Monu!!🙂
Hi, I made this cake and it’s so delicious!!!!!!!!!!
I was wondering if I can make it with gluten free flour ( Bob’s Red Mill)
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe
We’re so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback! We’re sorry, we couldn’t tell you as we have never tried it but it should work if you use a gluten free flour that performs similarly to all purpose flour. Happy baking! ☺️
When do you use the pear juice?
From the can? It’s not needed in this recipe…i usually drink it while the cake bakes 🙈