Boozy pear almond cake. A French-style almond cake baked with juicy pears, a hint of ginger, and a splash of amaretto. Topped with honey-amaretto whipped cream, it’s elegant, east and just the perfect cozy dessert.
For more fall inspired sweet treats, try my Mini pear galettes or this Apple yogurt cake with pistachios.
Why you’ll love this pear cake
- A twist on tradition: Inspired by French frangipane, but made even better with ginger and amaretto.
- Perfectly balanced: Rich almond filling, tender pears, and a light whipped cream topping that keeps it from being too heavy.
- Not overly sweet: Just enough honey and liqueur to bring out the flavors without overwhelming.
- Elegant but easy: Impressive enough for guests, simple enough to bake on a weekend.
🍐 Pro tip
Choose firm, just-ripe pears—they’ll soften beautifully as they bake without turning mushy. To avoid a soggy bottom, pat the pear slices dry with a paper towel before adding them to the filling.
What can I use instead of amaretto in this recipe?
If you don’t want to use amaretto, there are plenty of substitutes:
- Non-alcoholic: almond extract (just ½ teaspoon, since it’s strong) or a splash of vanilla extract.
- Other liqueurs: Frangelico (hazelnut), Grand Marnier (orange), or rum will give a different but delicious twist.
- Simple swap: skip the alcohol entirely and add a little extra honey or a touch of maple syrup.
Storing tips
- Room temperature: Keep the cake covered at room temp for up to 1 day.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature or warm gently before serving.
- Whipped cream: The amaretto honey whipped cream keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store it separately and whip it briefly before serving for best texture.
- Freezer: Freeze individual slices of the cake (without whipped cream), tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Pear Almond Cake
Pear almond cake with ginger and amaretto, a French-inspired dessert with tender pears, almond filling, and a touch of spice. Topped with amaretto honey whipped cream, it’s elegant, cozy, and not overly sweet.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter - cold
- 1 egg - large
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla sugar - or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
For the almond cake
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter - at room temperature
- ¼ cup potato starch
- 1 egg - large
- ½ vanilla bean
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- ½ tsp lemon zest
For the boozy pears
- 3 pears - small
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp amaretto - optional, see FAQ for swaps
- 2 tsp grated ginger
For the roasted almonds
- ½ cup almonds
- 1 tbsp honey
For the amaretto whipped cream
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp amaretto - optional, see FAQ for swaps
- ½ vanilla bean
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the butter with sugar, salt, and flour. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg, then add about 2 teaspoons (25 g) of it to the butter mixture. Knead into a dough. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Meanwhile, peel the pears, cut them in half, and core. In a medium skillet, stir together the brown sugar, water, amaretto, and ginger over medium heat until smooth. Bring to a boil, add pears, and cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 3 minutes more. Set aside.
- Remove the dough from the fridge. Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan and dust lightly with flour. Roll out the dough and press it into the pan. Prick the base with a fork, cover with parchment paper, and add pie weights (or dried beans). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and paper.
- In the meantime: In a large bowl, whisk the egg, then add the leftover egg from the crust. Stir in the butter, sugar, ground almonds, potato starch, vanilla, ginger, and lemon zest until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked crust.
- Slice the pears into thin strips and arrange decoratively on top of the filling. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a small bowl, mix the almonds with the honey. Spread on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant.
- In a mixing bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add honey, amaretto, and vanilla, then whip again until combined and fluffy.
- To serve, top slices of the cake with amaretto whipped cream and sprinkle with roasted almonds. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 647kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 11gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 67mgPotassium: 265mgFiber: 6gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 885IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was below!
Leave a Reply