Easy Mary Berry Pear Cake Recipe: Perfect Sweet Treat

Mary Berry’s pear cake transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary dessert that dances with sweet, autumnal flavors.

Seasonal pears nestle perfectly within a delicate, golden sponge, creating a harmonious balance of texture and taste.

Her signature recipe celebrates simplicity, allowing each carefully selected ingredient to shine through.

Soft, ripe fruit provides natural sweetness while complementing the tender cake base.

Warm spices like cinnamon add depth and complexity to this elegant treat.

Professional bakers and home cooks appreciate how straightforward techniques can yield impressive results.

You’ll find this cake equally suitable for intimate gatherings or elegant celebrations: get ready to impress.

Why Mary Berry’s Pear Cake Is Light Yet Sweet

• Savor Seasonal Sweetness: This Mary Berry pear cake captures the essence of autumn with juicy, tender pears nestled in a perfectly spiced cake that celebrates seasonal fruit at its peak.
• Master a Foolproof Technique: The recipe offers a straightforward method that even novice bakers can confidently execute, with simple mixing steps and an elegant crumble topping that adds professional-looking texture and flavor.
• Enjoy Versatile Comfort: Adaptable for multiple occasions, this cake works wonderfully as a cozy afternoon treat, elegant dessert, or delightful weekend baking project that fills your kitchen with warm, inviting aromas of cinnamon and fresh fruit.
• Indulge in Textural Delight: The combination of soft, moist cake, tender pear slices, and crispy crumble topping creates a multi-dimensional eating experience that delights every single bite with contrasting textures and rich, balanced flavors.

Everything You Need for Her Fruity Cake

• Butter (Softened): Provides richness and helps create a tender cake texture, choose high-quality unsalted butter for best flavor.
• Caster Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a light, fluffy cake structure, fine granulated sugar works best.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients together and add moisture, use fresh room-temperature eggs for optimal mixing.
• Self-Raising Flour: Creates cake's structure and provides leavening, ensures a light and soft texture.
• Baking Powder: Helps cake rise and become fluffy, ensures even and consistent cake texture.
• Cinnamon: Adds warm, aromatic flavor that complements the pears.

• Pears: Fresh, ripe pears provide natural sweetness and moisture, choose firm pears that are easy to slice thinly.

• Plain Flour, Butter (Cubed), Caster Sugar, Cinnamon: Combine to create a crunchy, sweet topping with warm spice notes, mix until texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Baking Pear Cake That’s Tender and Moist

Step 1: Prepare The Oven And Baking Tin

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm (9-inch) springform cake tin with butter and line the base with baking paper.

Step 2: Create Cake Batter Base

In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

• Self-raising flour
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon

Gently fold until ingredients are well mixed.

Step 4: Prepare Crumble Topping

• Plain flour
• Cubed cold butter
• Caster sugar
• Ground cinnamon

Mix until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Step 5: Assemble And Decorate Cake

Spoon cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Arrange thinly sliced pears on top of the batter. Sprinkle the prepared crumble topping evenly over the pears.

Step 6: Bake The Cake

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the center – it should come out clean.

Step 7: Cool And Serve

Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.

Tips to Perfect Mary’s Pear Dessert

• Test Cake Doneness Strategically: Insert a skewer into the cake's center to confirm it's fully baked, watching for clean removal without wet batter.
• Cool Carefully: Allow cake to rest in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack, preventing potential structural collapse during cutting.
• Slice Pears Precisely: Create thin, uniform pear slices that distribute evenly throughout the cake, ensuring consistent texture and flavor in every bite.
• Mix Batter Gently: Fold flour mixture delicately to maintain cake's light structure, avoiding overmixing that could result in dense, tough texture.
• Select Perfect Pears: Choose ripe yet firm pears that hold shape during baking, preventing mushy consistency and maintaining cake's intended structure.

How to Keep Pear Cake Fresh for Days

• Vacuum Seal: Lock in freshness by vacuum sealing individual cake slices. This method prevents freezer burn and maintains the cake's delicate texture for up to 4 months. Perfect for meal preppers and those wanting long-term storage without compromising taste.
• Refrigerator Compartment: Nestle the cake in the most stable section of your refrigerator – typically the middle shelf away from temperature fluctuations. Wrap tightly in food-grade parchment paper before placing in an airtight glass container to preserve moisture and prevent absorption of other food odors. Your cake stays delectable for 5-7 days with this technique.
• Counter Storage: Keep cake covered with a clean kitchen towel in a cool, dry spot for maximum 2-3 days. Position away from direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent quick staleness.

Pear Cake Variations to Elevate the Flavor

• Autumn Apple Edition: Replace pears with thinly sliced apples, keeping the same cinnamon spice profile for a classic seasonal variation that brings warmth to the cake.
• Nutty Crunch Transformation: Add chopped walnuts or almonds to the crumble topping and mix some ground nuts into the cake batter for extra texture and rich, earthy flavor.
• Berry Burst Remix: Swap pears with mixed berries like raspberries and blueberries, and adjust the crumble topping by adding some almond flour for a fruity, lighter cake experience.
• Tropical Ginger Spin: Incorporate finely chopped crystallized ginger into the cake batter and replace cinnamon with ground ginger for a zesty, aromatic alternative that offers a different taste sensation.

A Sweet Close to This Autumn Dessert

Seasonal pear delight brings British baking charm straight to home kitchens.

Mary Berry’s signature recipe offers classic comfort with elegant fruit-studded sophistication.

Warm cinnamon notes weave through delicate cake layers, creating irresistible aromas that beckon sweet indulgence.

Homemade crumble topping adds delightful texture and rustic appeal to this quintessential dessert.

Simple ingredients merge into an extraordinary culinary experience that celebrates traditional baking techniques.

When perfection calls, craving this pear cake becomes inevitable – snap a photo, share with friends, and let passion for baking spark connection and joy.

Mary Berry Pear Cake Recipe

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4.8 from 18 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Mary Berry’s luscious pear cake delivers European elegance with simple ingredients and classic British baking charm. Rustic layers of tender fruit and delicate crumb invite you to savor each warm, spiced slice of this comforting dessert.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 250g (9 oz) self-raising flour
• 175g (6 oz) butter, softened
• 175g (6 oz) caster sugar

Binding and Seasoning Ingredients:

• 75g (2.5 oz) plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Crumble Topping:

• 50g (1.75 oz) butter, cubed
• 25g (0.9 oz) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Warm the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Generously coat a 23-centimeter (9-inch) springform pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a spacious mixing vessel, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes airy and pale, creating a smooth consistency.
3. Incorporate eggs individually into the butter mixture, thoroughly blending after each addition to ensure a uniform texture.
4. Gently sift the flour, baking powder, and ground cinnamon directly into the creamed mixture, folding carefully to create a homogeneous batter without overmixing.
5. Transfer the cake batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula to create an even layer.
6. Artfully arrange the thinly sliced pears across the top of the batter, creating an aesthetically pleasing pattern.
7. Prepare the crumble topping by combining flour, cold butter pieces, sugar, and cinnamon in a separate bowl, using fingertips to mix until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
8. Evenly distribute the crumble topping over the arranged pear slices, ensuring complete coverage.
9. Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a thin skewer into the center – it should emerge clean and dry.
10. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, enabling it to set and cool slightly.
11. Carefully transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack, letting it cool completely to room temperature.
12. Serve the pear cake as is, or elevate the experience by accompanying it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Notes

• Select ripe yet slightly firm pears to prevent a mushy cake texture.
• Slice pears thinly for even distribution and smooth integration with cake batter.
• Minimize mixing time to maintain cake’s light and tender consistency.
• Use a springform pan for easy cake removal after baking.
• Verify cake doneness around 50 minutes by checking with a skewer in the center.
• Allow cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling before slicing to preserve structural integrity.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 330 kcal
• Sugar: 20 g
• Sodium: 100 mg
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 40 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg