Hazelnut Pear Cake is a lovely combination of sweet pears and toasted hazelnuts, all topped with a sour cream glaze!
Pears are the underrepresented fruit of fall. And I don’t know why they take a backseat to apples and pumpkins. They’re definitely one of my favorites, so I try to do my part to remedy that at every opportunity.
This Hazelnut Pear Bundt Cake has plenty of pears alongside toasted hazelnuts for a delicious and different fall cake. The pears offer just enough sweetness to go well with the nuttiness from the hazelnuts. This is just the kind of cake I crave this time of year.
I suggest a small dice for the pears so they’ll be nicely distributed in the cake. Remember that if you use large pieces, they are more likely to sink during baking. I like Bosc and Anjou pears for baking, as they tend to hold their shape nicely. Softer, juicier pears are more likely to fall apart.
While toasting the hazelnuts isn’t absolutely necessary, I encourage you to take those few extra minutes to toast them. It really brings out the flavor and works so well in this cake. That extra step is well worth the little bit of effort it takes.
The simple glaze on this cake is one of my favorites and I love the flavor it adds to this cake. It’s a sweet vanilla glaze similar to the standard confectioners’ sugar glaze but made with sour cream instead of milk.
Without the glaze, this is a great cake for snacking or brunch. Dialing back the sweetness by skipping the glaze makes it less of a full-on dessert. It’s really lovely just as it is, but you could dust the top with confectioners’ sugar for a simple garnish.
Be warned that this is a thick batter, as cakes made with sour cream often are. I like to use a large scoop to transfer the batter to the pan instead of trying to hold the bowl and scrape the batter into the pan. It is You can get all of my tips in Bundt Cake Baking Tips.
I hope you’ll take advantage of fresh pears and bake this Hazelnut Pear Bundt Cake. It’s really just a lovely cake, from the flavors to the texture to the simplicity of making it. Let’s do our part to make the most of baking with pears this fall!
More Pear Desserts
Hazelnut Pear Bundt Cake
Sweet pears and toasted hazelnuts are a wonderful flavor combination in the Hazelnut Pear Bundt Cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (226g) sour cream
- 2 large pears, cut into small pieces (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup (115g) toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
For the glaze:
- 1 cup (110g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or use a baking spray with flour) a 12-cup Bundt pan.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 portions, alternating with 2 portions of sour cream. Mix just until combined.
- Stir in the pears and hazelnuts.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze:
- Combine the confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons sour cream, and vanilla. Add more sour cream, a small amount at a time, until the glaze is thick but pourable.
- Pour or spoon the glaze over the cooled cake. If desired, garnish with chopped hazelnuts.
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7 Comments on “Hazelnut Pear Bundt Cake”
I would love to make this bunt cake but I have to eat low to none sugar. Will this cake come out with using 1/2 cup of sugar in the cake. Thanks  Liz
Hi, Liz. Reducing the sugar that much will definitely affect the texture and, of course, the flavor. I wouldn’t recommend it.
I love pear and hazelnuts together! This cake looks perfect for the season ♥
This looks like a lovely cake! I was wondering if I used a sheet pan instead of a Bundt tin if this would still work out? I was hoping to use this recipe as the base for a 4th Birthday cake in the shape of a number 4 (so will require cutting and repositioning) – do you think the cake will hold its shape enough for me to do this? Thanks in advance x
You should be able to bake it in most any cake pan with a similar volume. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to adjust the baking time depending on the thickness of the cake. This is a fairly sturdy cake, so I would guess that it would be fine for your project.
What are your thoughts about replacing a half a cup of flour with a half a cup of hazelnut meal.
Hi, Julie! Replacing 1/2 cup of the flour with hazelnut meal should work well and add a lovely nutty flavor and tender texture to the cake. Just be sure to measure accurately, avoid over-mixing, and grease and flour the pan well since the cake may be slightly more delicate. If the batter seems too thin, you can add a tablespoon or two of flour to balance it out. Let me know how it turns out!