Chocolate and Pear Cake

This Chocolate and Pear Cake is one of my favourites. It's such a delicious combination. Imagine a rich chocolate and hazelnut sponge, with a hidden layer of ripe and juicy conference pears, sprinkled with sugar for that all important crunch… Yum! It's easy but looks impressive which is what I look for in most cakes.

This Chocolate and Pear Cake is the perfect autumnal cake to serve for elevenses or afternoon tea - or warmed up for pudding with lashings of decadent chocolate sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (if you love puds like my Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding, this really is the recipe for you). I think this cake looks so pretty with the way you have the pears fanned out which is really very easy to do and this cake only takes just 15 minutes to put together.

 
This cake is also super versatile which makes me love it even more. If you don’t have pears you can use all sorts of fruit - I love a chocolate and cherry combo for the black forest vibes - drizzled in a cherry coulis too - so good! I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Why you will love this cake

• It is quick and easy to put together but looks and tastes delicious.
• It is perfect to make when pears are in season.
• It is full of flavour and texture thanks to the rich chocolate sauce, fruity pears, sweet vanilla and crunchy sugar sprinkle.
• It is so versatile - you can use all sorts of fruit.
• It is the perfect coffee morning or teatime bake - and equally delicious served warm for a cosy, comforting pudding.

You will need the following ingredients:

Butter - opt for unsalted so you can control the salt level in the cake. It is really important that it is softened so that it creams nicely with the sugar.

Golden caster sugar - this brings the sweetness to this Chocolate and Pear Cake. You could use regular caster sugar or even granulated sugar if that is what you have to hand. Alternatively, opt for a soft brown sugar for a more molasses flavour and more moist texture.

Vanilla extract - I love adding vanilla bean paste to my bakes, it adds the most delicious sweet vanilla flavour.

Chocolate and hazelnut spread - ok, we all know I am talking about nutella here. I know some people frown on it, but I am not ashamed to use it in my recipes as, let’s face it, it is delicious. You could use more expensive Gianduja spreads with a higher ratio of hazelnuts, if you prefer - but bear in mind they are often much more expensive.

Eggs - use free-range eggs if you can. I also recommend choosing large eggs stamped with the British Lion logo.

Plain flour - also known as ‘all-purpose’ flour, this helps create the perfect Chocolate and Pear Cake.

Baking powder - since we are using plain flour, we need a raising agent to help create a light and airy cake - in this case, baking powder.

Cocoa powder - make sure you use the unsweetened variety (and definitely not hot chocolate powder!).

Salt - don’t worry, this won’t make your Chocolate and Pear Cake salty. Adding a pinch of salt to baking recipes brings out the flavours of the other ingredients and really takes your bakes to the next level. I recommend Maldon Salt Flakes for the best results. 

Pears - make sure your pears are ripe but not too mushy as you want them to hold their shape.

Demerara sugar - this is a delicious golden-brown sugar with a crunchy texture. I only use a little in this recipe so you can swap it out and use all soft light brown sugar if you don’t want to buy a bag especially (it is also great in crumble or streusel toppings).

For the optional chocolate sauce and decoration:

Dark chocolate - opt for a good quality variety with at least 70% cocoa solids for best results.

Double cream - this helps make a luxuriously rich and creamy hot chocolate sauce.

Soft light brown sugar - you could use caster sugar but soft light brown sugar gives a slight caramel flavour to the hot chocolate sauce which makes it taste so good.

Icing sugar - finishing with a dusting of sieved icing sugar looks super pretty and adds a final note of sweetness.Whipped cream - a spoonful of whipped cream complements this Chocolate and Pear Cake perfectly. You could add some vanilla extract or bean paste and turn it into crème chantilly.

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Substitutions and Variations:

Vanilla extract - you could use vanilla bean paste, if you prefer, just not vanilla essence which is artificial and will give this Chocolate and Pear Cake a synthetic taste.

Chocolate and hazelnut butter - we all know that I mean nutella here, but you could use chocolate and almond butter if you prefer.

Brown sugar - I use both demerara and soft light brown sugar in this recipe. They both bring slightly different qualities - demerara has a crunchier texture which is ideal for sprinkling on top or adding to crumbles and streusels, while soft light brown sugar brings a caramel-like flavour to the chocolate sauce (you could even use it in the cake for a beautifully moist texture). You don’t have to purchase both types - if you are going to choose one, I would go for soft light brown sugar and just leave out the bit where you sprinkle it on the top.

Nuts - you could up the hazelnut flavour by swapping 50g of the flour for 50g ground hazelnuts. You could also sprinkle with roughly chopped hazelnuts before popping in the oven. You could do the same with ground almonds and flaked almonds.

Pears - this is perfect to make when pears are in season but you could use all sorts of fruit like raspberries, cherries or blackberries. Tinned pears would also work if you can’t get hold of fresh.

Chocolate - you could swap the dark chocolate for milk chocolate if you prefer a sweeter chocolate sauce.

Vanilla icing sugar - if you can find it, try dusting with vanilla icing sugar. It adds a subtle vanilla sweetness that just tastes so good.

Here's how to make this moist Chocolate and Pear Cake:

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.

ONE: In a large bowl, or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the softened butter with the sugar for about 3-5 minutes until pale, light and fluffy.

TWO: Add the chocolate and hazelnut spread and vanilla extract and whisk again to combine.

THREE: Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking between each addition until you have a smooth batter.
Sieve in the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl, then gently fold together until you have a spoon batter.

FOUR: Slice the pears thinly to place on in the middle of and on top of the cake. Tip half the mixture into the prepared tin and even out the surface. Arrange half the sliced pears on top.

FIVE: Pour over the remaining cake batter, smooth over the top and arrange with the remaining pears, fanning out the slices for a decorative effect. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar.

SIX: Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes until well-risen and just firm to touch. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack and leaving to cool completely.

Cooking Tips:

Softened butter: it is really important to make sure your butter is suitably soft before trying to cream with the sugar. If you use it straight from the fridge, it won’t cream properly which will impact the texture of the finished cake. And do you know the quickest and easiest way to get butter to room temperature? Cut it into slices, pop it on a plate and put in the microwave for 10 seconds on the “defrost” setting. Flip it over and pop it back in for another 5 seconds on defrost. If it’s not quite there, put it back in for another 5 seconds. OR - and this might sound strange but body temp is going to soften the butter up in about 15 minutes. Put the (wrapped) butter in your waistband and turn it every few minutes. After about 15 minutes it will be soft and good to use!

Sugar: this cake uses three different sugars - but if you want to use one throughout, I would go for soft brown sugar. It will give a wonderfully moist cake with delicious hints of caramel flavour. I love soft brown sugar, along with caster sugar. Those are my two most used sugars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other cake recipes you might enjoy:

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Chocolate and Pear Cake

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This Chocolate and Pear Cake is the perfect autumnal cake to serve for elevenses or afternoon tea - or warmed up for pudding with plenty of rich chocolate sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

• Author: Margie Nomura
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: Serves 8-10 1x
• Category: Baking
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: British
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the cake:

• 175g unsalted butter, softened 
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g chocolate and hazelnut spread (Nutella or your brand of choice!)
• 3 large eggs
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50g cocoa powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 ripe conference pears, peeled halved, cores removed and sliced into thin strips
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar 

For the chocolate sauce: (optional)

• 70g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
• 80ml double cream
• 1 tsp soft brown sugar

To serve:

• Icing sugar (optional)
• Whipped cream

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160C Fan and grease and line a 9-inch/23 cm loose-based round tin with non-stick baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the softened butter with the sugar for about 3-5 minutes until pale, light and fluffy. 
3. Add the chocolate and hazelnut spread and vanilla extract and whisk again to combine.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking between each addition until you have a smooth batter.
5. Sieve in the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl, then gently fold together until you have a spoon batter.
6. Tip half the mixture into the prepared tin and even out the surface. Arrange half the sliced pears on top.
7. Pour over the remaining cake batter, smooth over the top and arrange with the remaining pears, fanning out the slices for a decorative effect. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar.
8. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes until well-risen and just firm to touch. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack and leaving to cool completely.
9. Meanwhile, make the chocolate sauce (if using): put the chopped chocolate, double cream and sugar into a medium-sized heat-proof bowl. Set over the pan of barely simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t come into contact with the water (or the chocolate will overheat). Melt the mix, stirring often (alternatively, pop into a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30 second bursts, stirring between each), until smooth. 
10. Dust the cake with icing sugar and serve slices with the hot chocolate sauce and some lightly whipped cream on the side.

Notes

Pears: this is perfect to make when pears are in season but you could use all sorts of fruit like raspberries, cherries or blackberries. Tinned pears would also work if you can’t get hold of fresh.

Serving suggestions: I love serving this with whipped cream and hot chocolate sauce, but you could also serve with thick yoghurt, crème fraîche, crème chantilly (vanilla-infused whipped cream), clotted cream or even ice cream! You could enjoy a slice cold for elevenses or afternoon tea, or warm it up for pudding.