Simple and Flavorful Brown Butter Pear Cake

Brown Butter Pear Cake- Single layered cake with cooked pears and  a spiced cake base. The cake has a tangy cream cheese filling mixed right into the cake batter to give it a deliciously gooey texture. 

This recipe would be a fun addition to your Thanksgiving menu. It has a great fall flavor that isn't your run of the mill apple or pumpkin flavor. You and your guests will love the creamy texture, spiced cake base, and the tender pear flavor.

For more Thanksgiving inspired recipes, here are some you should try!

• The Most Spectacular Fall Biscoff Apple Cake
• The Greatest Powder Sugar Apple Cider Donut Cake
• The Best And Splendid Glazed Pumpkin Coffee Cake
• The Best You'll Ever Eat Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake

Why this recipe:

• Pear flavor- This pear flavor is slightly better than apple, in my humble opinion. I used two kind of pears for the best possible flavor.
• Single layer- This is a single layer cake, so no stacking or decorating. 
• Cream cheese- It has a cream cheese filling poured right on top of the cake batter to give it that tangy and creamy goodness everyone wants.
• Brown butter- Sautéed pears in brown butter! Need I say more? 
• Easy- This cake is easy to make, but it will leave everyone thinking it was harder than it was! 

Ingredients list for Brown Butter Pear Cake

Before you start baking, here are some notes for the ingredients you will need. I have listed key ingredients that you might not have on hand. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• Cream cheese- I like to use full fat cream cheese. It helps the cake set up. 
• Unsalted butter- I always use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in my recipe.
• Pears- I like to use two kinds of pears because it helps to build the  flavor. You also want find the right kind of pears. For this recipe I used Bosc and Anjou.
• Cake flour- I used cake flour to help soften the cake and make it light and fluffy.
• Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar.

Step by Step- Caramel 

Step 1: Mix the water, sugar, and corn syrup. In a medium sized sauce pan, stir together the water, sugar, and corn syrup.

Step 2: Cook the mixture. On medium heat, bring the sugar mixture to a boil. The bubbles will start off fast and small, but once it starts caramelizing, the bubbles will slow down and become a little bigger. Do not touch or stir the mixture. That will cause crystallization.

Step 3: Let it boil. Let it boil until the mixture becomes caramelized and looks golden brown/auburn in color. This does take a few minutes, but once it starts turning brown, it's easy to burn it, so keep an eye on it.

Step 4: Heat the cream. Put the cream in the microwave for 1 minute.

Step 5: Add the cream. Once the caramel has changed color and is ready for the cream, turn off the heat on the sugar mixture and add the warm cream. Mix the caramel mixture until evenly combined.

Step 6: Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the vanilla, salt, and butter and let it sit until the butter melts. Stir, once the butter is melted.

Step by Step- Brown Butter Pear Cake 

Step 1: Cook the pears- You will brown the butter and cook the pears in the brown butter until they are slightly soft. 

Step 2 : Sift the dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder.

Step 3: Whisk the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar vigorously by hand for about 60 seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk after each addition. Slowly mix in the vanilla extract.

Step 4: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. With a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, slowly fold in the flour mixture until there are only small flour streaks remaining.

Step 5: Add the cooked pears. Add the slightly cooled, cooked pears, into the cake mixture and mix with a rubber spatula. 

Step 6: Transfer the batter into prepped cake pan. Pour the mixture into the prepped cake pan.

Step by Step- Cream Cheese Filling 

Step 1: Cream the cream cheese. In a medium sized bowl mix the cream cheese with a hand mixer until it's smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Cream the eggs. Add the eggs, one at a time, using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl after each egg addition. Once both eggs are added, beat the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes. 

Step 3: Add the sifted powdered sugar Add the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. Once it's all combined, add the salted caramel sauce and mix on low, just to combine.

Assembly and Baking 

Step 1: Top with the cream cheese. Pour the cream cheese mixture onto the pear cake batter and use a small offset spatula to spread it into an even layer.

Step 2: Bake. Bake for 45-48 minutes, The middle of the cake will still be jiggly but the cake is done when the edges are golden and the middle has cracked. 

Step 3: Cool and serve. When the cake is done, let cool for 10-15 minutes, then place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours to allow the cream cheese to firm and set. 

Step 4: Garnish. To garnish, use the extra caramel sauce, and then dust with powdered sugar.

Tips for the best results 

• Use room temperature ingredients. You want to make sure all of the ingredients are the same temperature. 
• Use full fat cream cheese. It has the best texture and highest fat.
• You can use store bought caramel, but I highly suggest making your own. You will want to lick the bowl clean, I promise. 
• Use a good high quality pan, I used a spring form that you can find here. 

FAQ 

Can I substitute fat free cream cheese?

No, you need the high fat count from the cream cheese.

Can I use apples instead of pears?

Yes, use a tart and firm apple like granny smith. 

Can I use a 9x9 square pan?

Yes! My favorite pan is right here! 

Storing and freezing

You can store this Brown Butter Pear Cake in an air tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. It won't last much longer because of the cream cheese filling. 

Freezing Brown Butter Pear Cake

Unfortunately this cake does not freeze well. 

If you liked this recipe, please rate and review so I can make more recipes in the future!

For more recipes you will want to try, here are some you of my favorite!

• The Most Splendid Caramel Pumpkin Sheet Cake
• The Best Ever Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake
• The Greatest Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cake
• The Most Delicious Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies

Recipe

Brown Butter Pear Cake

Molly Murphy

Single layered cake with cooked pears and a spiced cake base. The cake has a tangy cream cheese filling mixed right into the cake batter to give it a deliciously gooey texture.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the caramel

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons butter

To cook the pears

• 1 pound 5-7 large pears thinly sliced pears, my favorites are Bosc and Anjou varieties
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar packed

For the cake

• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar packed.
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the cream cheese layer

• 8 ounce cream cheese room temperature
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar measured and then sifted.
• ½ cup caramel sauce or store bought

Instructions

 

For the caramel sauce.

• In a medium sized sauce pan, stir together the water, sugar, and corn syrup.
• On medium heat, bring the sugar to a boil. The bubbles will start off fast and small, but once it starts caramelizing, the bubbles will slow down and become a little bigger. Do not touch or stir the mixture. That will cause crystallization.
• Let the mixture boil until it becomes caramelized and looks golden brown. This does take a few minutes, but once it starts turning brown, it's easy to burn it, so keep an eye on it.
• Put the cream in the microwave for 1 minute.
• Once the caramel is golden brown and ready for the cream, turn off the heat on the sugar mixture and add the warm cream. Mix the caramel mixture until evenly combined.
• Pour the mixture into a bowl. Add the vanilla, salt, and butter and let it sit until the butter melts. Stir, once the butter is melted.

For the pears

• In a medium size sauce pan, start by browning your butter over medium heat. Cook it until you start to hear it make crackling noises. Once there is foam on top of your butter and the color has turned auburn with brown speckles, add the thinly sliced pears and sugar.
• Cook the pears on medium heat for about 7-10 minutes until they start to slightly soften. You still want them to still be a little firm. The main goal is just to release the sugars from the pears.
• Once they are cooked, remove them from the heat and transfer to a bowl and let slightly cool. While they are cooling, make the cake.

For the cake

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9 inch cake pan or spring form pan, spray the bottom with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again getting the sides this time. Set aside.
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar by hand vigorously for about 60 seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk after each addition. Slowly mix in the vanilla extract.
• With a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Slowly fold in the flour mixture until there are only small amounts of flour streaks remaining.
• Add the slightly cooled, cooked pears into the cake mixture and mix with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the mixture into the prepped cake pan and set aside while you make the cream cheese filling.

For the cream cheese filling

• In a medium sized bowl, mix the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
• Add the egg, mix for 30 seconds, and using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Beat the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Add the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each cup. Once combined, add the salted caramel sauce and mix on low just to combine.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture onto the pear cake batter and use a small offset spatula to spread it into an even layer.
• Bake for 45-48 minutes, The middle of the cake will still be jiggly but the cake is done when the edges are golden and the middle has cracked.
• When the cake is done, let cool for 10-15 minutes, then place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours to allow the cream cheese to firm up and set.
• To garnish, use the extra caramel sauce, and dust with powdered sugar.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!