Pear Streusel Cake

This Pear Streusel Cake is the perfect fall and winter treat – make it with fresh or canned pears for an easy dessert!

 

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

When it’s time for an afternoon tea or coffee, it’s nice to serve a little something sweet. This Pear Streusel Cake is a delicious dessert recipe that’s similar to coffee cake – it’s a tender, moist white cake base topped with fresh or canned pears and a sweet and crispy streusel topping. It’s a truly delightful dessert that we know you’ll love!

These are just a few reasons why we love this Pear cake recipe!

1. It has a crispy TOPPING – We love Streusel topping recipes, like this Pear Streusel Cake or our Peach Streusel Cake, or these delicious Best Ever Blueberry Streusel Muffins.
2. It’s a VERSATILE recipe – You can use fresh or canned pears with this cake recipe, so you can enjoy this cake all year round!
3. It’s EASY to MAKE – This simple cake with streusel topping is a recipe that can be ready to enjoy in just over an hour.

Follow all our pro tips and tricks to make the BEST Pear Cake!

Make sure your milk and eggs are at room temperature. This will create a smooth cake batter and help the ingredients combine properly.

The best way to measure flour is in grams, but if you’re using cup measurements, be sure to fluff the flour in its bag or container before scooping VERY gently (don’t pack the flour into the measuring cup at all), then level it off with the back of a knife or other flat object.

Do not over-mix, especially after adding the flour. Over-mixing can create a dry, tough cake because it reduces the number of air bubbles present in the batter which give the cake its lift as it bakes.

This can create something called tunnelling where long, thin air bubbles appear in the bake cake. This is caused by vigorous mixing that strengthens the gluten strands in the cake batter too much. Instead, mix on low to medium speed just until the ingredients combine.

Always grease your cake pan generously with butter or baking spray. We also recommend lining the bottom and sides with parchment paper for easy removal.

Don’t let an unbaked cake sit out on the counter. Always preheat your oven first and bake the cake immediately after adding the batter to the pans. This will help the cake rise properly in the oven as the leavening agent in the cake batter is activated as soon as the wet and dry ingredients are combined.

Don’t place the pan too close to one side of the oven as this can cause it to brown unevenly. Add the pan to the centre of the oven so it bakes evenly.

Avoid opening the oven during baking unless it’s absolutely necessary to rotate the cake while baking (if your oven is small or has a hot spot). Opening the oven door at the end of the baking time is okay, especially because testing the cake with a toothpick is necessary to prevent over-baking.

Over-baked cakes are dry and crumbly. Be sure to remove them from the oven as soon as a toothpick inserted into the top of the cake comes out clean.

Under-baked cakes are partly baked but gummy on top and in the centre. Test the cake with a toothpick to be sure the cake is baked completely.

Having trouble with this pear cake recipe? Try one of these solutions or preventative ideas below:

Measure ingredients accurately, especially leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda. If the batter is over-mixed it can result in excess air being incorporated into the batter, leading to uneven baking and sinking in the centre of the cake. Also, avoid opening the oven door during baking as this causes major changes to the oven temperature and will result in an uneven rise.

Measure the flour properly by spooning it into the measuring cup and levelling it off, rather than scooping it directly from the bag. Do not over-mix the batter as this can over-develop gluten in the batter and lead to a tougher texture. Mix until the ingredients are just combined and the flour disappears.

Make sure to measure the flour correctly, don’t over-mix, and check the baking time and temperature. Over-baking can cause the cake to dry out. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.

An oven temperature that’s too high can cause the cake to rise too quickly and crack on the surface. Double-check that oven temperature is correct by using an oven thermometer. Avoid opening the oven door during the first half of baking as the sudden change of oven temperature will contribute to the cracking of the cake surface

Make sure to properly grease the pan to keep your cake from sticking to the pan. You can line the pans with parchment paper to prevent the cake from getting stuck and to allow for easy removal from the pan. Let the cake cool for 10-20 minutes before inverting it onto the wire rack.

Check the freshness of your leavening agents, as they lose their potency over time and can cause a cake to sink. Fresh ingredients are best. Also, make sure the oven is preheated to the correct temperature and avoid over-mixing the batter as it can deflate the air incorporated during the creaming process. Combine just until the flour disappears. The cake can sink in the middle if the cake is removed too soon from the oven. Let it bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

You will need these items on hand for making this Pear Cake recipe (paid links):

• measuring cups and spoons
• liquid measuring cups
• Silicone Spatula
• 9-inch x 13-inch rectangle baking pan
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
• chef’s knife
• Cutting Board

You’ll need these ingredients on hand to make this Pear Cake recipe (paid links):

FOR THE CAKE:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon 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 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon 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 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Try these variations on this Pear Cake recipe!

1. Apple and Pear – Add thinly sliced apples alongside the pears to the top of the cake for a delicious combination of sweet and tart.
2. Spiced Pear – Add in warm spices such as nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves to the batter for an autumn inspired cake.
3. Walnuts or Pecans – Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter and the streusel topping.
4. Chocolate – Use cocoa powder in the batter for a chocolatey taste or add some chocolate chips to the top of cake with the pears.

We hope you love this Pear Streusel 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!

• Ginger Pear Crisp
• Rhubarb Streusel Cake
• Peach Streusel Cake
• Pumpkin Spice Streusel Muffins
• Best Ever Blueberry Ricotta Coffee Cake
• Strawberry Rhubarb Skillet Cobbler
• Apple Crisp
• Strawberry Cake