Welcome this easy canned pear pound cake recipe to your life and enjoy each moment of its baking. The cake is packed full of fruit flavors that go perfectly with your morning or afternoon tea.
I like pound loaf cakes! First, I like their strong and organized shape that resembles a brick. Second, there are plenty of loaf cake recipes, and I have an endless list of recipes I want to try. And finally, they are so E A S Y to make!
There is the only challenge in making the cake. Canned pears, even cut into small pieces, tend to sink to the bottom of the cake.
How to stop fruit from sinking in the cake? The best advice is to toss the fruit pieces with one or two tablespoons of all-purpose flour before adding them to the cake batter.
Still, if the fruit pieces are heavier than the batter, as in this pear cake, they slightly sink. It is normal and expected.
What is a pound cake?
Pound cake is a type of cake made of equal parts of four ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
In the 18th century, it was made with a pound of each ingredient: here is the name "pound." The modern pound cake is a makeover to the classic one, but I would say it is even tastier and more flavored.
And this canned pear pound cake is not an exception. Made with sweet pears and flavored with lovely cherry brandy, it makes a modern take on a classic pound cake.
Pound cake pan
Pound cake is mostly baked in a loaf or bundt pan. You can also bake it in an angel food cake pan, but you will need to adjust the baking time.
Butter and flour your pan to facilitate the removal of the cake after baking. Fill the pan to about 75% with the cake batter and bake.
And do not forget to let the cake cool down for 10 to 15 minutes before taking it out of the pan.
How to glaze pound cake
The traditional pound cake is a plain one; however, glaze brings additional sweetness and flavor to the cake.
The main tip is to glaze the cake while it is warm. If you want the cake to be more flavored and moist, poke holes with a toothpick or a bamboo skewer and pour the glaze all over the cake.
But first, pour one-fourth of the glaze and wait for a little bit. Then add more in small portions till the glaze is done.
Best glaze for pound cake
To make a basic sugar glaze, mix 1 cup + 3 ½ tablespoons (150 g) icing (powdered) sugar and 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk.
You can easily customize the glaze by adding two teaspoons of vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon of coconut or almond extract.
If pound cake is served for grown-ups, add a few drops of Amaretto, Grand Marnier, or brandy.
To make the lemon glaze, replace the milk with 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. The same is about another fruity glaze - the orange glaze - when milk is replaced with 2 to 3 tablespoons of orange juice.
You can also add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice while making your glaze. Just experiment!
How to store pound cake
Wrap pound cake with plastic film or cover with a foil and keep it up to 1 or 2 days at room temperature. The cake will keep its freshness in the fridge for up to a week. You can freeze pound cake for about 4 to 6 months.
Why you should try this cake
- This easy pear cake recipe is perfect for a beginner baker and the experienced one.
- A one-bowl recipe is always a huge plus.
- This cake is an all-year-round favorite due to the use of canned pear.
- Flavored with alcohol, it is loved by adults. To make it kids-friendly, just omit alcohol.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
Flour: regular all-purpose flour is used for the recipe.
Corn flour: it is used to make this cake in the equal amount as all-purpose flour.
Sugar: use regular granulated sugar or caster sugar.
Eggs: use large whole eggs at room temperature.
Baking powder: fresh aluminum-free baking powder is the best to make this cake.
Heavy cream: use your favorite brand of heavy cream.
Butter: the recipe calls for unsalted softened butter. Take it out of the fridge one to two hours before you start.
Cherry brandy essence: it brings additional fruity flavor. You can easily omit this ingredient.
Pears in syrup: the recipe calls for canned pear halves (you will need five for this recipe or just one tin).
Pear syrup: you will need 1.6 fl oz (50 ml) of canned pear syrup remained after draining pear halves. You can replace it with Kirsch or any fruit-based brandy if you serve the cake for adults (omit cherry brandy essence in this case).
How to make canned pear pound cake
Preheat oven to 395 degrees F/200 C.
Drain pear halves on a paper towel to absorb the syrup. Cut them into small slices or cubes. Flour pear pieces and put aside (photo 1).
To make the cake batter, place softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix with a hand whisk. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating them into the mixture (photo 2).
Add heavy cream, canned pear syrup, cherry brandy essence, and flour mixed with baking powder and cornflour. Combine everything with the whisk (photo 3).
Add ⅓ of pear pieces to the batter and gently mix with a rubber spatula (photo 4).
Butter and flour a silicone loaf pan (make sure to read about how to bake with silicone molds) and pour the cake batter into the mold. Place the remaining pear pieces on top of the preparation (photo 5).
Bake the cake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (photo 6).
Let the cake cool slightly in the pan before turning it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert tips
- Cut the canned pear into small pieces and make sure to flour them well. Pear pieces are heavy enough, and this step helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
- Omit alcohol to make the cake kid-friendly.
- Replace canned pear syrup with Kirsch or any fruit-based brandy, and omit cherry brandy essence if you serve the cake for adults.
Recipe FAQ
Kirsch, or "kirschwasser" in German, is a colorless brandy from the Black Forest region of Southern Germany. It is made from the double distillation of sweet or sour cherries. Kirsch is one of the essential ingredients to make the famous Black Forest Cake.
If you have a hard time purchasing Kirsch, you can make it yourself. Pour the bottle of cherry brandy essence (20 ml) and 1 ¼ cups (280 g) of granulated sugar into an empty one-liter bottle. Add 26 fl oz (770 ml) of neutral vodka. Shake very well until the sugar has completely dissolved. It is ready.
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PrintRecipe card
Canned Pear Pound Cake Recipe
Welcome this easy canned pear pound cake recipe to your life and enjoy each moment of its baking. The cake is packed full of fruit flavors that go perfectly with your morning or afternoon tea.
- Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons (100 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (100 g) cornflour
- ⅔ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
- ⅔ cup (150 g) heavy cream
- 2.7 oz (75 g) butter, softened
- ⅓ teaspoon cherry brandy essence
- 1.6 fl oz (50 ml) canned pear syrup
- 5 canned pear halves
*Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!
** If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 395 degrees F/200 C.
- Drain pear halves on a paper towel to absorb the syrup. Cut them into small slices or cubes. Flour pear pieces and put aside.
- To make the cake batter, place softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix with a hand whisk. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating them into the mixture. Add heavy cream, canned pear syrup, cherry brandy essence, and flour mixed with baking powder and cornflour. Combine everything with the whisk. Add ⅓ of pear pieces to the batter and gently mix with a rubber spatula.
- Butter and flour a silicone loaf pan and pour the cake batter into the mold. Place the remaining pear pieces on top of the preparation.
- Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool slightly in the pan before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Cut the canned pear into small pieces and make sure to flour them well. Pear pieces are heavy enough, and this step helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
- Omit alcohol to make the cake kid-friendly.
- Replace canned pear syrup with Kirsch or any fruit-based brandy and omit cherry brandy essence if you serve the cake for adults.
Nutrition
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 13.8 g
- Sodium: 57 mg
- Fat: 10.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.7 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 3.2 g
- Cholesterol: 68 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
The recipe was adapted from https://www.meilleurduchef.com. It was originally published on February 08, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.
Pina Bresciani says
This cake is so delicious! And I love how simple it is to make 🙂
Irina says
Thank you Pina! Yes, this cake is simple yet delicious!
Anita says
I love a good pound cake for my afternoon coffee. This is simple, but so much more special because of the pear and the kirsch. Definitely a keeper. 🙂
Irina says
Thank you Anita! This pound cake is one of my favorite cakes to serve during a tea or coffee time.
Dawn Ciarleglio says
Do you mean corn starch in this recipe? Or truly corn flour? I would love to make this but do not know which ingredient to use. Please advise. The recipe looks fantastic !
Irina Totterman says
It's cornstarch or potato starch. You can also experiment with replacing all-purpose flour with rice flour or equal amounts of rice flour and one of the mentioned starches. I haven't made gluten-free recipe myself (a yet!), but it will work. There is no doubt. Happy Baking!!
Peg says
What size is the loaf pan? Can I use a metal loaf pan instead? I don't want to invest in any more baking tools at this point of my life?
Irina Totterman says
Hello Peg, My baking pan is 4 x 9 inches. Line your metal baking pan with parchment and recalculate the recipe ingredients with this simple cake pan calculator. Happy Baking!!