Asian Pear Cake With Chopped Pecans

Asian pears
Foodcollection RF / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 16 servings

Adding fresh pears to cakes is a wonderful way to enjoy this fall fruit, and, for something a little different, this Asian pear cake with pecans is a great recipe to try. The sweet and aromatic fruit is combined with chopped pecans, cinnamon, and sugar and folded into a cake batter scented with warm spices. Once baked in a Bundt pan, you can dust with confectioners' sugar or top with a vanilla glaze.

Asian pears are different from European varieties in that they look and taste more like apples. Instead of being bottom-heavy, Asian pears are round and more uniform in shape; they also have a crisp texture compared to the typical grainy flesh of European pears. Another distinction of Asia pears is that the skin is a little gritty and not as soft as other pears, so you may want to peel the fruit before dicing it. If you cannot find Asian pears, this cake may be made with any variety of pear, or you can use apples.

Serve this Asian pear cake with pecans as a holiday dessert, enjoy in the afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea, or even savor a slice as a breakfast treat.

Ingredients

For the Fruit Mixture:

  • 3 cups Asian pears, peeled if desired, diced

  • 1 cup pecans, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

For the Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 3 large eggs

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

  2. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan or spray generously with a baking spray mixture with flour.

  3. Prep the pears by tossing the diced pears with the pecans, cinnamon, and sugar in a bowl. Cover and set aside.

  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix to blend thoroughly.

  5. With an electric mixer on low, stir in the oil, vanilla, and eggs until well blended. Stir in the fruit and nut mixture until blended.

  6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

  7. Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Turn out the cake onto the rack to cool completely.

  8. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and dust with confectioners' sugar or glaze with a vanilla or caramel glaze.

  9. Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
315 Calories
16g Fat
41g Carbs
4g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 315
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 35mg 12%
Sodium 250mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 64mg 5%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 143mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)