Name: Easy Italian Pear Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 cups flour (00 or all-purpose); 3/4 cup sugar; 2 unit eggs; 8 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp ricotta (full fat); 2/3 cup milk (whole); 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp vanilla; 4 unit pears; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp powdered sugar; 4 tbsp almond (slivered)

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Italian Pear Cake. A moist and soft perfect cake, ideal to end a meal, for breakfast or whenever you need something sweet. This recipe is simple and, like all Italian recipes, is made with just a few simple and genuine ingredients!

Desserts in Italy are usually different than in most parts of the world. Italian cakes, or dolci, are in fact usually smaller and never too sweet, but just right. A bite or two of sweetness to end a meal or to give you a kick.

This pear cake is just like that: a slice of heaven, juicy, tender and sweet enough to fill you up without making you feel guilt. A simple moist dessert you can indulge in every day this fall! I hope it will soon become your new family light dessert favorite!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE?

– This Easy Pear Cake recipe is quick to prepare: it takes 10-15 minutes, but it will look like a work of art!

– A tried and test pear Italian pear cake recipe from my grandmother that I have added a few variations to: make this fluffy cake once and you will hopefully make it over and over again.

– It’s a great seasonal recipe to use pears and it is definitely a crowd-pleaser!

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR THIS MOIST AND SOFT ITALIAN PEAR TART?

This delicious cake requires simple ingredients. Let’s start with the main 3 ingredients: Eggs, butter and ricotta.

The combination of all 3 ingredients makes this cake incredibly fluffy and airy! The fat in the eggs, butter and ricotta make the cake extra rich and soft, while the water in the beaten egg whites and ricotta make for a moist batter. You can sub the ricotta with yogurt. A Pear yogurt cake is a great variation for this classic recipe.

You can also substitute oil for the butter, but the result and taste will not be as good. So if you must make a cake, make it the way my nonna would have made it and treat yourself!

In addition to these 3 ingredients, you will need the classic 00 Italian flour or all-purpose flour, baking powder, vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon. Do not forget to use caster sugar or brown sugar. You will need also some slivered almonds that will give a subtle crunchiness to this Italian almond pear cake. Finally you will need some powdered sugar for dusting!

You can replace fresh pears with fresh apples and add more cinnamon.

2 white plates with slices of Italian Pear Cake

WHAT KIND OF PEARS SHOULD I USE?

Fresh pears are in season now! To make this torta di pere, you will need 1 pear, cut into chunks and added to the batter: Use Anjou or Bosc.

For the decoration of the cake, you will need 2/3 pairs of pears that you cut into wedges. Since you want to keep the shape of the pear, use Bosc in this case.

If you want to know more about the different varieties of pears, read here.

HOW TO PREPARE A CLASSIC ITALIAN PEAR CAKE

First take a large bowl and whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Slowly melt the stick of unsalted butter. Then gradually add the melted butter and 2 tablespoons of ricotta and 2 /3 cup of whole milk. Finally, add the dry ingredients: sifted yeast, cinnamon and flour until you get a soft dough,

Continue peeling the pears. Cut a pear into small pieces, add the diced pear to the dough and turn well.

Line a 9* springform pan with parchment paper and butter the sides. Pour the batter into the springform pan and place the segments of pear in a radius on top. Sprinkle with slivered almonds.

Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 45 – 50 minutes. If you find that the cake is turning over too much, reduce the temperature to 160° and extend the baking time a little. DO the toothpick mark to see if the cake is done: the toothpick should come out slightly moist.

Finally, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about 30-40 minutes. Remove it from the spingform cake tin and sprinkle it with powdered sugar! Your fluffy pear cake is ready to serve! Mangia!

Italian Pear Cake with glass of milk in background

MORE DELICIOUS ITALIAN DESSERTS FOR YOU

APPLE GALETTE WITH CINNAMON

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN TIRAMISU RECIPE

CANTUCCI: ONE OF THE MANY ITALIAN WAYS TO MAKE DELICIOUS COOKIES

MORE DELICIOUS PEAR RECIPES FOR YOU

GORGONZOLA PEAR WALNUT SPAGHETTI

GORGONZOLA, PEAR & CHICKEN SALAD WITH HAZELNUT AND BALSAMIC GLAZE

HOW TO STORE THIS ITALIAN PEAR CAKE?

This cake will keep at room temperature for 3-4 days...of course, if it lasts that long!

HOW TO SERVE THIS ITALIAN PEAR CAKE?

In Italy we usually eat this easy fresh pear cake accompanied by a cup of coffee. It is also a great recipe for an afternoon tea cake or me . For me it is the perfect breakfast cake and usually I serve it with some fresh cut pieces of fruit.

I must confess that when I serve it to Rob, I have to add some cream… Ice cream… You get the idea. So I usually use some whipped cream or a dollop of mascarpone, dusted with a little cinnamon.

WHICH WINE TO PAIR WITH THIS ITALIAN PEAR CAKE?

A Riesling from Trentino is a good choice, as its high acidity works well with the sweetness of the cake, and its slightly spicy note harmonizes with the hint of cinnamon.

Moscato d’Asti from Piemonte is a great sparkling alternative wine with a hint of sweetness. Its apple and pear notes pair perfectly with the pear tart. Although the Moscato d’Asti is sweet, it will not overpower the already sweet dessert.