This easy pear cake makes the most of ripe pears with a simple olive-oil batter flavoured with lemon zest and nutmeg. Red Anjou or Bosc pear halves are arranged over the batter before baking, creating a golden cake with tender fruit baked right into the top.

This pear cake is very easy to make and also quite beautiful in its simplicity. You can, of course, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a cloud of just barely sweetened whipped cream, but it’s also wonderful on its own, at ambient temperature or even chilled, as part of a mid-afternoon coffee klatsch with a good friend. – Christine Flynn

Why You’ll Love It

It’s genuinely easy to make.: The simple batter comes together with a bowl and spatula, with no mixer required.
Pears are baked right into the cake.: Ripe Red Anjou or Bosc pear halves soften as the cake bakes, giving each serving plenty of tender fruit.
Olive oil keeps the cake beautifully moist.: Lemon zest and nutmeg add flavour without overpowering the pears.

A slice of vanilla cake with a pear slice visible and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top

Easy Pear Cake

Christine Flynn

An easy pear cake made with olive oil, lemon zest and nutmeg, with ripe Red Anjou or Bosc pears baked right into the top.

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Ingredients

¾ cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar divided
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil or good-quality canola oil
3 large eggs
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 small ripe Red Anjou or Bosc pears halved and cored
vanilla ice cream to serve (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together ¾ cup of the sugar and the olive oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with a rubber spatula after each addition. Add the lemon zest, salt and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Stir until just combined
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread it in an even layer. Place the pears, cut side up, in the batter, but don’t press them in more than about ½ inch, as the batter will rise as it bakes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp of sugar on top. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before serving.
Cut the cake into squares and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Keyword Anjou pear cake, Bosc pear cake, easy pear cake, olive oil pear cake, pear cake

A deep green cookbook cover in a light tan frame

Excerpted from A Generous Meal by Christine Flynn. Copyright © 2023 Christine Flynn. Photographs by Suech and Beck. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.