Caramel Pear Pudding Cake

This caramel pear pudding cake is loaded with fresh pears and crunchy pecans. It is easy to assemble and creates its own sauce, or "pudding," while it bakes. 

You can make this cake in one larger pan and then scoop out servings onto everyone's plates, or you can bake servings in individual eight ounce ramekins. 

While the cake is baking, the pudding mixture, which is added on top of the cake batter before baking, thickens and falls to the bottom of the dish. You can either invert the cake when serving it, or serve it as is, and use your spoon to dig to the bottom to get a taste of the pudding in every bite. 

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to send it over the top. 

Not only can you enjoy this as a dessert, this pudding cake is also great for breakfast. With lots of fresh pears along with pecans, why not? It's wonderful to wake up to. 

Ingredients in this Caramel Pear Pudding Cake:

For the Cake: All purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground all spice, and cardamom. You could also substitute apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, all spice, and cardamom. You will also need whole milk. 

Fresh Pears: You can use any pears you like. I prefer to use a pear with a firmer and crunchier texture such as Asian or Bosc. 

Pecans: Roughly chopped. 

For the Pudding: Brown sugar (light or dark), cornstarch, salt, butter, and hot water. 

To Make the Cakes:

You do not need to use any special equipment to make this cake, just two bowls, a whisk, and a rubber spatula. If you decide to make individual desserts, you will need eight 8-ounce ramekins. Otherwise, you can bake this dessert a 9-inch square cake pan. 

First, whisk together the cake ingredients in a medium bowl and then fold in the pears and pecans. In another bowl, mix the pudding ingredients, including the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and then slowly add a mixture of hot water and melted butter to the sugar mixture. 

After that, assemble the cakes by layering the cake batter on the bottom (photo below) and then gently adding the pudding layer on top. The pudding layer is very watery when you pour it into the pans and then it magically thickens while baking. The cake layer rises to the top. 

Finally, when they are done baking, let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes before serving. They are delicious served warm... don't forget the ice cream!

Possible Recipe Variations: 

Instead of pears, you can substitute apples (or mix both pears and apples) and instead of pecans, you can substitute walnuts. I'm partial to the pear and pecan combination. 

Most people think of apples when they think of fall fruits, but pears, often overlooked, deserve some attention! Not only are they delicious in fall-themed desserts, they are also fabulous in savory dishes, including pizzas, salads, salsas, and yeast breads. 

For more sweet recipes featuring pears, be sure to try a pear and almond tart, vanilla pear muffins, pear and cranberry crostata, ginger pear cake, baked pears, and oatmeal pear bars. 

Fall Flavors Recipes: 

Welcome to #FallFlavorsWeek. We are sharing recipes featuring favorite fall flavors.

• Apple Cider Arnold Palmer by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Zucchini Galette by Art of Natural Living
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls by Blogghetti
• Cider Braised Pork Roast by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll Muffins by Easy Recipes For One
• Apple Cider Tea Infused Oatmeal by Jolene's Recipe Journal (our host)
• Caramel Pear Pudding Cake by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pumpkin Rice Cakes by Magical Ingredients
• Copycat Starbucks Maple Scones by Hezzi-D's Recipe Box
• Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blossoms by The Spiffy Cookie
• Roasted Beet and Tomato Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm

 

Caramel Pear Pudding Cakes

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

This caramel pear pudding cake is loaded with fresh pears and crunchy pecans. It is easy to assemble and creates its own sauce, or "pudding," while it bakes. 

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 120 grams (1 cup) unbleached all purpose flour
• 99 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground all spice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 113 grams (1/2 cup) whole milk
• 397 grams (2 cups) peeled, cored, and diced pears
• 113 grams (1 cup) chopped pecans

For the Pudding

• 213 grams (1 cup) brown sugar, light or dark
• 14 grams (2 tablespoons) cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• 57 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 283 grams (1 1/4 cups) hot water

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F with a rack in the middle of the oven. LIne a baking sheet with parchment and spray eight 8-ounce ramekins with baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Fold in the pears and pecans.
3. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Heat the water and butter together until the butter melts. Slowly add the water mixture to the brown sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
4. Add 1/2 cup of the cake mixture to each of the ramekins. Divide the pudding mixture among the eight ramekins, carefully topping the cake mixture.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops are firm. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
6. To make in one pan, use a square 9 inch cake pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

278

Fat (grams)

6 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

4 g

Carbs (grams)

57 g

Fiber (grams)

2 g

Net carbs

59 g

Sugar (grams)

40 g

Protein (grams)

3 g

Cholesterol (grams)

17 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2025/09/caramel-pear-pudding-cake.html

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Recipe adapted from Sift Magazine (from King Arthur Baking), Fall 2016.