Caramel Pear Cake: A Perfect Fall Dessert

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This caramel pear and cardamom cake combines the cozy warmth of cardamom with the sweetness of fresh pears. With an easy bundt pan bake and topped with a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce, it's an impressive dessert for fall gatherings and special occasions.

caramel being poured over a cake with pears

It's usually the apples we get most excited about when fall arrives. But pears have a lot to offer this time of year as well. They're juicy, sweet, and tender. Not to mention, pears pair well with the same fall spices as apples.

Why you'll love this pear cake:

It's a welcome alternative to more common fall flavors like apples and cinnamon.
Cardamom offers a complex and deep flavor that goes well with the subtle taste of pears.
The caramel poured over the top is rich and addictive. You'll want to make extra to flavor your coffee and pour over ice cream.

Looking for more fruit-filled baking recipes? Check these out:

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🍐 Ingredients
🍎 Substitutions & Variations
🥣 Instructions
✨ Top Tips
🥄 Equipment
🍰 Storage
🙋🏽‍♂️FAQ
🫖 Pairing
📖 Recipe
🎂 Related Recipes
💬 Comments

🍐 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this caramel pear cake:

Key Ingredients

Pears - Firm ripe pears, such as Bartlet, Bosc, and Anjou, are good choices that will hold up well in the cake. You only need 3-4 pears, which will yield about 2 cups after peeling and chopping.
Flour - All-purpose flour is fine for this recipe; however, you could try replacing up to half of it with whole wheat flour if desired.
Sugar - Basic granulated white sugar.
Eggs - Use large, fresh eggs for this recipe.
Butter - Use unsalted butter for the cake and caramel. We'll add our own salt.
Brown sugar - Adds a deeper, sweeter flavor to the cake. You can use either light or dark brown sugar.
Yogurt - Helps make the cake moist. Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt is the best choice.
Cardamom - Ground cardamom lends a warm, fresh, and lightly citrusy flavored spice to the cake.
Ginger - Ground ginger adds some extra warm spice.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

🍎 Substitutions & Variations

Make it a gluten free caramel pear cake by using King Arthur Flour's gluten free measure for measure flour. I've had good luck using this blend with several other recipes.
Use apples in place of pears. An equal amount of firm, chopped apples would make an apple cake that would be just as tasty.
Sour cream may be used in place of yogurt.
If you don't have time to make the caramel sauce, find a quality store-bought sauce with real butter and cream. Locally, I love the goat milk caramel from Fat Toad Farm.
For a slightly lighter caramel sauce, use half and half in place of heavy cream.

🥣 Instructions

How to make a caramel pear cake.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, ginger, and salt.

Step 2: In a second bowl, use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla.

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold together with a spatula.

Step 4: Chop, peel, and core the pears.

Step 5: Stir the pears into the cake batter.

Step 6: Grease a bundt pan and spread the batter evenly across the pan.

Step 7: Bake the cake on a rack in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until firm to the touch and a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Step 8: Make the caramel. Add the sugar to a small saucepan and set over low heat. Allow the sugar to melt without stirring. Add a few drops of water if it seems like it may be about to burn. Swirl the sugar around until it is completely melted.

Step 9: Off heat, stir in the butter until melted, then the cream, vanilla, and salt. The caramel will thicken as it cools.

Step 10: Pour the caramel sauce over the pear cake. Garnish with walnuts and serve.

✨ Top Tips

Make sure the pears you use are ripe. They should be a little soft to the touch, but not mushy. Unripe pears lack flavor.
Be patient and keep a close eye on the caramel sauce. It may take a few minutes before the sugar starts to melt, but it is easy to burn if you walk away and don't pay attention.

🥄 Equipment

Mixer - To cream the butter and sugar. Either a hand or stand mixer will do the job.

🍰 Storage

Cake - Store the cake tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. After being cooled and tightly wrapped, it may also be frozen for up to three months. You may want to wait to drizzle over the caramel sauce until just before serving for the best flavor and texture.

Caramel sauce - After cooling, store the caramel in a jar in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat the caramel over low heat in a saucepan on the stove or microwave in short bursts on low power.

🙋🏽‍♂️FAQ

What kind of pears to bake?

Firmer pears, such as bosc, anjou, and Bartlet, are good for baking because they will hold more of their shape than soft pears. You also want to use a pear with a flavor you enjoy fresh because flavors intensify during baking.

What brings out the flavor of pears?

Cooking pears can help bring out their flavor, as it will intensify in the process. Complimentary flavors will also help bring out the flavor. Try warm spices, such as cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Deeply flavored sweeteners like brown sugar, maple syrup, and caramel will also complement pears.

Do I have to peel pears for baking?

It depends on the type of pear and your preference for texture. Firmer pears, such as bosc, anjou, and Bartlet, may have thicker skin, and leaving it on while baking may make your dish too chewy.

How long does pear cake last in the fridge?

Pear cake will last about four days in the fridge when well-wrapped or stored in an airtight container.