This pear fritter loaf cake combines all of the goodness of a fritter in an easy to make quick bread.
This pear loaf cake is loaded with fresh pear chunks along with vanilla bean paste, a brown sugar cinnamon swirl, and finished with a vanilla glaze. The cake is super moist too.
While apples are most associated with fall baking, pears are wonderful too. Some of my favorites include a pear and almond tart, caramel pear pudding cake, and as a baked pear dessert. It's even wonderful on pizza.
This loaf cake is fairly easy to make but you will be using a few bowls, a large one for mixing the wet ingredients and sugar, a medium bowl for mixing the dry ingredients, a small bowl, to prep the pears before adding them to the batter, another small bowl for mixing the cinnamon swirl, and finally another medium bowl for mixing the vanilla glaze. Phew! I do recommend using a kitchen scale so that you can measure the ingredients right into the bowls rather than using several measuring cups that you'd have to wash.
Ingredients:
Pears: You can use any pear you like, such as Bartlett, Bosc, and even an Asian pear. I used a Starkrimson pear from Melissa's Produce. They are super sweet, juicy, and tender. You know when it's fully ripe when the skin turns bright red. I didn't peel the pear but you can if you want. One medium pear should produce enough for this cake.
Vanilla Bean Paste: It's a combination of vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar.
Spices: Nutmeg and cinnamon.
From the pantry: Granulated sugar, light brown sugar, confectioners' sugar, neutral oil, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
From the Fridge: Sour cream and eggs.
To Make this Pear Fritter Cake:
First, combine the sugars, oil, sour cream, some water, eggs, and the vanilla bean paster in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda. Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until combined.
Next, toss the pear pieces with cinnamon, and a bit of flour and then add them to the batter.
After that, combine some brown sugar and cinnamon. Then, in a parchment lined loaf pan, add half of the batter and then sprinkle with half of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Add the rest of the batter and top with the rest of the sugar mixture plus a few reserved pear pieces.
Finally, bake the cake and then let it cool. When it cools, drizzle with with the glaze.
For the Pan:
You can either use a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan, or a 9 inch by 4 inch tall loaf pan, which is what I used. Either one is fine. I just kind of like the taller slices that the taller pan produces.
Storing:
This cake will stay fresh for about three days kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring slices to room temperature or rewarm briefly in the microwave.
Welcome to Fall Flavors Week, hosted by Jolene's Recipe Journal. Our group has shared over thirty recipes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of this week to usher in the season.
- Pear Fritter Loaf Cake by Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Apple Squares by Hezzi-D's Recipe Box
- Pumpkin Chili with Roasted Poblano Peppers, Black Beans and Corn by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
- Yogurt Dill Dip by Art of Natural Living
- Apple Crumble Muffins by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Crock Pot Beef Stew by Blogghetti
- Deviled Eggs with Basil Pumpkin Seed Pesto by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Maple Pear Upside-Down Cake by Jolene's Recipe Journal
- Rosemary Caramel Apple Coffee Cake by The Spiffy Cookie
- Lentil Sweet Potato Salad by Magical Ingredients
Pear Fritter Loaf Cake
This pear fritter loaf cake combines all of the goodness of a fritter in an easy to make quick bread.
Ingredients
- 133 grams (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
- 146 grams (2/3 cup packed) light brown sugar, divided
- 140 grams (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) neutral oil
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) sour cream
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) room temperature water
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 313 grams (2 1/2 cups) all purpose flour plus one teaspoon flour for tossing with the pear pieces
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 grams (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1/2 teapoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 151 grams (1 cup) 1/2-inch cubed pears, divided
- 2 1/2 teapoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 160 grams (1 1/3 cups) confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (or 9 by 4 inch tall pan) with parchment paper and spray with spray oil.
- In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, the oil, sour cream, 1/4 cup of the water, the eggs, and the vanilla bean paste.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups (313 grams) of the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda. Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix until just combined.
- In a small bowl, toss together 3/4 cup of the pears, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of flour. Add to the batter and gently mix.
- In another small bowl, combine the rest (1/3 cup) brown sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon.
- Add 1/2 of the batter to the pan and then sprinkle 1/2 of the sugar and cinnamon mixture over it. Add the rest of the batter to the pan. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the sugar and cinnamon mixture and swirl it slightly. Top with the rest of the pears and lightly press them in.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. It's done when a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through and cover it loosely with foil after 35 minutes to prevent burning.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Mix the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the top.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
574Fat (grams)
22 gSat. Fat (grams)
3 gCarbs (grams)
90 gFiber (grams)
2 gNet carbs
88 gSugar (grams)
57 gProtein (grams)
6 gCholesterol (grams)
55 mgAdapted from Bake from Scratch, Sept/Oct 2022
