Vegan Pear Cake

This easy cinnamon-spiced pear cake is moist and tender, loaded with fall flavors, and studded with pear throughout for a simple, delicious fall bake – now also 100% dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan!

Fall-inspired Cinnamon Spiced Vegan Pear Cake

Every fall, kitchens across the US can be found whipping up batch upon batch of pumpkin and apple-based treats, but why not add pears to the line-up this year? We’ve already shared recipes for apple pear pie, pear crisp, and baked pears, but if you’re in the mood for something a bit fluffier, try this easy pear cake recipe!

This vegan pear cake replaces eggs with a simple flax egg and uses plant-based milk, producing a moist, fluffy, and tender cake everyone will enjoy, regardless of their dietary preferences. Even better, it’s so simple to throw together in one bowl using inexpensive pantry staples.

It’s also adaptable in several delicious ways, including adding plant-based chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, or even a glaze topping. Keep reading for all our favorites. Either way, once baked, this crowd-pleasing cinnamon pear cake is perfect for enjoying warm or at room temperature on special occasions, teatime, and during the holiday season.

The Ingredients

The Dry Ingredients

• Flour: We used all-purpose flour, though you could replace up to 50% with whole wheat flour. Spelt flour may also work, though we haven’t tried it.
• Sugar: All you need is regular white sugar (use organic sugar to ensure it’s vegan), though a 50/50 combination of white and brown sugar is also delicious. For a less refined option, use raw cane sugar or coconut sugar. Color will vary.
• Baking powder: To provide fluffy lift to the cake. Make sure it’s in date.
• Spices: A combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt perfectly complement and enhance the various flavors in this vegan pear cake recipe.

The Wet Ingredients

• Flax egg: A combination of flax meal (or ground chia seeds) and warm water turns into a great vegan binding egg replacement for this eggless pear cake.
• Applesauce: Use unsweetened applesauce to help bind and add moisture and subtle sweetness/flavor.
• Pears: We use Bartlett pears, but you can experiment with other crisp pears. E.g., Bosc pears, Anjou pears, or Concorde pears. They should be ripe but not overripe.
• Vanilla extract: Use natural vanilla for the best flavor.
• Oil: Use a neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, etc. This makes a moist, tender-crumbed cake.
• Plant–based milk: Any. E.g., unsweetened soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, etc.

Add-ins and Flavor Variations

• Ginger pear cake: Stir in 1-2 tbsp finely minced ginger or candied ginger for a warm gingerbread-like depth.
• Pear and apple cake: Replace a portion of pear with baking apples (sweet or tart).
• Almond: Make a delicious pear almond cake with ½ tsp of almond extract and plenty of slivered almonds sprinkled over the top.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Use 2 teaspoons for a quick and easy vegan pear spice cake.
• Cardamom: Just a pinch of cardamom to add floral warmth.
• Chopped nuts: E.g., walnut pear cake, pecans/almonds/pistachios, etc.
• Dairy-free chocolate: Add about ½ cup of vegan chocolate chips or chunks for a yummy vegan chocolate pear cake. You could also add cocoa powder for a vegan chocolate cake.
• Dried fruit: e.g., Raisins or dried cranberries.
• Citrus zest: Just a little lemon zest or orange zest for brightness.
• Crumble top: Like we use for apple crumble, to make vegan pear crumble cake.
• Frosting/icing: E.g., vegan cream cheese frosting or a drizzle of vanilla icing glaze (powdered sugar + plant-based milk to drizzle consistency).

How to Make Vegan Pear Cake

• First, preheat the oven to 325F/163C and either grease or line (with parchment paper – leave overhang for easier removal) an 8-inch square cake tin (or 9-inch round tin).
• Then, rinse, peel, and chop the pears into ½-1-inch pieces.

To prevent browning, toss the diced pears in a little lemon juice.

• Next, combine the sugar, oil, applesauce, plant-based milk, vanilla, and flax egg (flax meal and water) in a medium bowl and whisk until fully incorporated.

• Add all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt) and stir until only just combined, then carefully fold in the chopped pears.

• Transfer the cake batter to the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes until the edges are pulling away from the sides and a fork/skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (or with a few crumbs but not wet batter).

• Transfer it to a cooling rack to fully cool, remove from the tin, then serve optionally dusted with powdered sugar.

Leave it to cool in the cake pan for at least 30 minutes before removing it.

Enjoy a slice of cinnamon pear cake, warm or chilled, with a dollop of vegan whipped cream, some dairy-free custard, caramel sauce, and/or a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream.

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• Measure the flour correctly: Fluff it up in its bag using a fork, then use a spoon to transfer it to your measuring cup, then use the back of a knife to level the top.
• Use ripe pears: They need to be firm yet slightly soft when pressed near the stem, indicating good ripeness.
• Don’t over-mix the batter: It should be only just mixed (a few tiny lumps are fine) otherwise, the cake can turn out dense.  
• For extra decoration: Optionally press some thin slices of pear (fanned or in your design of choice) into the top of the batter before baking.

Storage Instructions

Once cooled, you can store the pear cake in an airtight container lined with paper towel at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.

You can also freeze the pear cake whole or pre-sliced (individually wrapped or separated by parchment paper to avoid sticking) for up to 3 months.

Then leave it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for several hours before serving chilled or warming it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.

More Vegan Fall Baked Treats

• Easy pumpkin bundt cake
• Apple cinnamon bread
• Apple cranberry crisp
• Easy apple crescent rolls
• Stuffed Baked Apples

Photos by Alfonso Revilla