This fluffy, sweet Vegan Italian Pear Almond Cake is infused with a nutty almond flavor, a delicious hint of cinnamon, and topped with in-season juicy pear slices. This is the perfect cake to nibble on in the morning with a cup of coffee or to eat in the evening with a nightcap.
This post was originally published on December 29th, 2020 and has been updated on October 26th, 2022.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Pear Almond Cake
If you’ve ever had apple cake, then you’ll love this Vegan Italian Pear Almond Cake! Below are some of the reasons you’ll love this recipe!
Aromatic Almond & Pear Flavor: This soft cake is infused with a nutty almond flavor. It also has just the right amount of sweetness from the pears.
Cozy for Holiday Baking: this cake is perfect for the fall, winter, and Christmas time.
1 Bowl Recipe: the wet and dry ingredients can be mixed in the same bowl.
Why this Recipe Works
No eggs are necessary for this dairy free and eggless pear cake! Applesauce serves as a fantastic egg replacer in this cake, plus it adds a touch of apple flavor which pairs nicely with the pears.
Since eggs also help leaven cakes, today we’re adding baking powder to help the cake rise.
The Ingredients
The core ingredients that make this recipe vegan and add to its unique flavor are:
- Vegan Butter or Vegetable Oil
- Applesauce
- Vanilla Extract
- Granulated White Sugar
- All Purpose Flour
- Dairy Free Milk, like almond milk
- Ripe Pears
- Sliced Almonds
Substitutions & Add Ins
- Granulated Sugar: you can substitute brown sugar or coconut sugar for the white sugar in this recipe. Or you can sub in a sugar-free alternative like Swerve’s Granulated Sugar. I don’t recommend subbing in a liquid sweetener like maple syrup.
- Almond Milk: this can be subbed for another dairy free milk of choice like unsweetened oat milk, coconut milk, or soy milk.
- Spices: this cake is lightly spiced with cinnamon, but if you’d like to make a spiced pear cake, feel free to add in nutmeg and a touch of ground ginger as well.
- Unsweetened Applesauce: the applesauce can be replaced with another fruit puree. You could use pear puree to help create even more pear flavor!
What Type of Pears Should I Use?
For baking, Bosc or Anjou are best because they keep their shape nicely.
In this recipe, I’ve used Asian pears and Bartlett pears since that’s what I had on hand. They also kept their shape well after being baked.
Asian pears have a very similar crunch and texture as apples, so they worked very well in this application!
For more info on different types of pears and when to use them, check out this informative article by The Spruce Eats.
Helpful Equipment
- 8 or 9” Spring Form Pan or a Round Cake Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Mixing Bowl
Step-by-Step Instructions
*Video Tutorial is Above the Recipe Card Down Below!*
STEP 1: Prepare the 8 or 9″ springform pan or a round cake pan by greasing it and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, beat together the oil (or melted vegan butter) and sugar until lighter in color and airy. Mix in the applesauce, almond extract, vanilla extract, and the plant milk.
STEP 3: On top of the wet mixture, add the all-purpose plain flour, almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Use a fork to sift the dry ingredients and then fold the wet and dry ingredients together.
STEP 4: Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Top with the sliced pears and sliced almonds.
STEP 5: Bake for 45-50 minutes. The cake should be golden brown on top.
Serving
This easy vegan pear cake is slightly sweet so it works well as a sweeter breakfast paired with bold coffee or a cup of tea.
Or when topped with powdered sugar, this vegan pear almond cake is a delicious dessert.
Storage
This cake will stay fresh at room temperature wrapped in plastic or stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
After that I recommend freezing individual slices. Wrap the slices in plastic and place them in a freezer proof baggie. Keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Pro Tips
Thinly slice the pears: If the slices are too thick, they’ll weigh the cake batter down and prevent it from rising properly.
Use room temperature ingredients: make sure the applesauce and dairy-free milk are at room temperature to prevent the melted vegan butter from solidifying
Use fresh pears that are just ripened: pears that are slightly soft to the touch but not mushy are the best in this recipe!
FAQ
For this cake, a 8-inch springform pan is best. I use this pan by Calphalon which is nonstick and releases the cake perfectly.
A springform pan allows you to release the entire cake quickly from the pan. Before adding the batter to the pan, you’ll want to grease the pan with oil or butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.
While I haven’t tested ground flaxseed in this exact recipe, it should be able to be substituted for applesauce. Use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tbsp of water). I have an entire post of the best vegan egg substitutes if you’re looking for more info!
More fruity vegan cakes and recipes:
- Spiced Orange Bundt Cake
- Cranberry Babka
- Pomegranate Walnut Bars
- Vegan Apple Cinnamon Cake
- Vegan Panettone
Did you make This vegan pear and almond cake recipe?
I’d love to know! Leave a star rating and comment below!
Video Tutorial
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Vegan Italian Pear Almond Cake
This fluffy, sweet Vegan Italian Pear Almond Cake is infused with a nutty almond flavor and topped with in-season sliced pears. The perfect cake to nibble on in the morning with a cup of coffee or to eat with a nightcap.
Ingredients
Wet
- ½ cup vegetable oil, or melted (but not hot) vegan butter (110g)
- ¾ cup (150g) white granulated sugar
- ½ cup (105g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, or another plain dairy free milk
Dry
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ½ cup (60g) superfine almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ripe yet firm pear, sliced thin (Bartlett or Bosc)
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- Powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare a 8” springform pan or a 8” round cake pan by greasing it and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together the oil (or melted vegan butter) and sugar until lighter in color and airy. Mix in the applesauce, almond extract, vanilla extract, and dairy free milk.
- On top of the wet ingredients, add the all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Use a fork to sift the dry ingredients and then fold the wet and dry ingredients together.
- The batter should be quite thick, but if the batter isn't pourable, add an additional 2 tbsp of almond milk.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Top with the sliced pears and sliced almonds. Lay the pears in a single layer for the best results.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. The cake should be golden brown on top.
- Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.
- To serve, top with sifted powdered sugar.
Notes
- The applesauce can be substituted for 2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer, mixed with 6 tablespoons water
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 51mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 1gSugar: 34gProtein: 3g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
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Hi!
I am making this tonight and I just wanted to ask- what size tin? 🙂
Nevermind- I’m blind haha
Hi Carla,
It’s a 9″ springform pan. I’ll be sure to add that info into the recipe instructions so it’s more clear! I’m glad you were able to find the info in the blog post!
Can this be made gluten free
Hi Denise! I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour so I can’t guarantee results. However, swapping a gluten-free all-purpose blend (like Bob’s Red Mill) for the all-purpose flour will probably be your best bet. If you try it out, I’d love to know how it goes.
This cake looks so nice and easy to make! It’s on my list to try. Thanks!
I hope you enjoy it!