Welcome back to Fall Fest! I missed pumpkin party last week, but I really think this simple and delicious pear cake will make up for it. This rich and spicy cake is filled with fresh pear chunks and topped with a buttery, crunchy pecan streusel.
The cake is really simple to put together – no fancy tools required! It makes a great mid-morning snack with coffee but can easily be dressed up with caramel sauce and whipped cream and turned into an elegant dessert.
How do you like to celebrate pear season? Please feel free to leave a comment describing your favorite way to use pears and/or leave links to your favorite recipes. And don’t forget to check out what the rest of the Fall Fest group has been up to this week (scroll to bottom of post for Fall Fest links).
Sour Cream Pear Cake with Pecan Streusel
Pecan Streusel:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Cake:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup sugar
1 medium pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
1. Mix all streusel ingredients in a small bowl until well combined and crumbly. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, oil, sour cream, vanilla extract, and sugar. Pour egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a large spoon until batter is smooth.
3. Pour batter into a greased 8-inch round cake pan. Sprinkle pear chunks evenly over the cake batter then sprinkle the pecan streusel evenly over the top of the batter and pears. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Serves 8.
How You Can Join Fall Fest 2010
Welcome to Fall Fest! Have a recipe or tip that fits any of our weekly themes? You can contribute to our online recipe swap in various ways, big or small.
Contribute a whole post, or a comment—whatever you wish. It’s meant to be fun, viral, fluid. No pressure, just delicious. Simply leave your tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below a Fall Fest post on my blog, and then go visit my collaborators and do the same.
The cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. Yes, copy and paste them everywhere! That way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. Everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.
Or think bigger: Publish entire posts of your own, if you wish, and grab the Fall Fest 2010 pumpkin badge (illustrated by Matt of Matt Bites).
Summer/Fall Fest 2010 Posting Schedule
7/28: Cukes and Zukes
8/4: Corn
8/11: Herbs, Greens, and Beans
8/18: Stone Fruit – I missed this one!
8/25: Tomatoes
9/1: Sweet and Spicy Peppers
9/8: Garlic
9/15: White (or colorful “white”…but not sweet) Potatoes
9/22: Spinach
9/29: Apples
10/6: Fall Salads
10/13: Pumpkin + Winter Squash – I missed this one!
10/20: Pears
10/27: “Mad Stash” (as in what you’re shoving in freezer/jars/dehydrator, etc.)
11/3: Root veggies
11/10: Brassicas: incl. Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage or other
11/17: Sweet Potatoes
11/24: Bounty to Be Grateful For
Other Fall Fest Attendees Celebrating Pears:
- Alana at Eating from the Ground Up: Musings on Pears and Cheese
- Caroline at The Wright Recipes: Three Favorite Pear Recipes
- Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Pear, Pecan, Parmesan Scones
- Paige at The Sister Project: A Gingery Pear Crisp
- Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: Making Pear Galette
- Gilded Fork: Harvest Risotto with Caramelized Pears
- Margaret at A Way to Garden: Of Pears and Cookbooks, a Delicious Giveaway
- Roberto at Food2: 5 Ways to Warm Up to Pears
- Michelle at Cooking Channel: What to Pair With Pears
- Kirsten at Food Network: Baking Up Pear Desserts
- Liz at Healthy Eats: Vanilla Poached Pears, With Variations
I have to make this cake. It looks amazing!
My favorite pear recipe: Grilled Pear, Brie, and Honey Crostini
7:25 am Oct 20th, 2010http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/grilled-pear-brie-and-honey-crostini-recipe/
what a lovely cake! i would scarf down the entire thing with several cups of coffee for breakfast!
7:31 am Oct 20th, 2010This cake has just been added to my To Do list.
So far I’ve been just eating pears! But since fresh cranberries are available now, I will be using both fruits to make a batch of Holiday Fruit Preserves…sorry, can’t directly link from my phone: http://mymadisonbistro.com/archives/holiday-fruit-preserves
7:39 am Oct 20th, 2010This does sound easy and good! It has a few things in common with my Fall Fest recipe for Pear Ricotta Muffins http://muffinegg.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/pear-ricotta-muffins-and-a-little-extreme-baking/
7:40 am Oct 20th, 2010mmm what a cake! I can’t wait to make it and serve it to friend over tea (maybe a chai latte).
As a tea enthusiast, I was inspired to craft a sweet pear dish that infused the complex flavors and aromas of green tea with lemongrass/ginger. Here’s my Fall Fest recipe for Poached Bosc Pear with Green Tea & Lemongrass/Ginger/Lavender Honey Simple Syrup http://bit.ly/9r2ht2
8:13 am Oct 20th, 2010Lookin’ good! I usually don’t do much with pears, but I really want to try some new recipes after this week.
8:15 am Oct 20th, 2010I made a pear tarte tatin for fall fest: http://4seasonsoffood.blogspot.com/2010/10/pear-tarte-tatin.html
This looks delicious! Love any cake with streusel on top.
8:41 am Oct 20th, 2010This is my first time visiting your site! It’s gorgeous. And that pear cake looks divine.
My contribution to fall fest: One-Pot Lamb with Sweet Pears and Leeks
Another favorite is Roasted Beets with Pears and Feta
8:53 am Oct 20th, 2010I made a great panna cotta recipe with poached pears. Its really easy to make and soooo beautiful. I didn’t explain the how to poach the pears in the psot but basically all you have to do is boil them in water until they are tender with some sugar and a vanilla bean pod (scraped). http://thehorttshearawho.blogspot.com/2010/10/panna-cotta-with-honey-and-poached.html
9:08 am Oct 20th, 2010What a great idea for pears! Looks incredible!
9:23 am Oct 20th, 2010This looks tremendous, Nicole. Just wondering if you’ve tried making it in a loaf pan and what would need to change. I’d love it in that shape for a coffee cake.
9:29 am Oct 20th, 2010Lately I’ve been addicted to grilled cheese sandwiches with extra-sharp white cheddar and sliced pears (dipped in tomato bisque, of course!) Perfect fall comfort food.
9:48 am Oct 20th, 2010Caron – I think for a loaf cake, you should probably double the recipe for the cake batter but keep the streusel amount the same. You will need to bake it longer… maybe an hour to an hour and a half? And maybe reduce the heat to 350 so the the topping doesn’t burn. If anyone else has suggestions, feel free to chime in!
9:55 am Oct 20th, 2010It looks incredible. I just love sour cream in cakes. In desserts in general. My favourite pear thing right now is for when I’m home alone and want something sweet: Pears poached in juniper syrup. It’s super easy and kinda decadent when given a liberal dousing of cream. Not entertaining food… Thursday night curled up on the couch with a movie food.
http://www.cauldronsandcrockpots.com/2010/10/juniper-poached-pears/
11:00 am Oct 20th, 2010[...] Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Sour Cream Pear Cake [...]
11:07 am Oct 20th, 2010Your cake looks good! I have never had a sour cream cake but I have had sour cream cookies!
This is the first time I have joined in on Fall Fest.
I made a Pear, Honey and Ginger Slab Pie which turned out so yummy! Here is a link to the post.
http://shootsandroots.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/pear-honey-and-ginger-slab-pie/
11:15 am Oct 20th, 2010How could this not be delicious. Your colleagues at work must love you. I am assuming they get more than a few of these incredible goodies from you.
11:46 am Oct 20th, 2010Valerie
This cake looks amazing. I love crumbly cakes like this, especially in the morning. And I too (like the blissful baker) would eat lots of it with tons of coffee in the morning. I am going to have to try this soon. Can you only use pears with this recipe or can you substitute it out with other ingredients? I have lots of fruits sitting around right now that I can’t think of what to do with.
11:58 am Oct 20th, 2010This cake looks wonderful. I may need to give it a try with my remaining pears. My contribution to Fall Fest this week is pear, blue cheese, and arugula stuffed chicken. http://savorymomentsblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/pear-blue-cheese-and-arugula-stuffed.html
3:14 pm Oct 20th, 2010I just pulled a sour cream coffee cake out of the oven, streusel no less… yours sounds better with pear-yum. Don’t you love the way the your house smells while it’s baking? Divine…
Have a great week,
5:24 pm Oct 20th, 2010Louise
This looks wonderful! My vote is to eat it mid-morning with a cup of tea and a good book.
My contribution to Fall Fest this week is pear ginger jam — lovely on toast for breakfast, but equally lovely with sharp cheese and crackers before dinner.
Find it here: http://www.dollopofcream.com/2010/10/pear-ginger-jam.html
5:44 pm Oct 20th, 2010Hello, I made a butternut squash, chicken, pear soup.
8:49 pm Oct 20th, 2010Please see the translator on the upper right corner
http://recetasparamishijos.blogspot.com/2010/10/sopa-de-calabacita-pollo-y-pera.html
Gorgeous looking recipe. It is spring down here but I’m looking forward to trying this next autumn
9:15 pm Oct 20th, 2010[...] Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Sour Cream Pear Cake [...]
1:18 am Oct 21st, 2010Looks delicious! I’ve joined in the Fall Fest, too… http://www.fitwoman.com/blog/2010/10/citrus-pear-compote-healthy-cooking-thursday.html
9:24 am Oct 21st, 2010Nicole, this looks SO good! I’ve got some pears in the fridge that are now calling out for this cake.
10:43 am Oct 21st, 2010Beautiful cake and sounds delicious. I made two delicious soups with pears for #fallfest this week.
8:13 am Oct 22nd, 2010http://dejavucook.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/celery-and-pear-soup/
http://dejavucook.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/cream-of-walnut-soup/
i posted a recipe for pear cupcakes with chocolate glaze and discussed my very odd week…cleanse, jury duty or canadian t-day anyone? http://napafarmhouse1885.blogspot.com/2010/10/pear-recipes-canadian-t-day-cleanse.html
5:49 pm Oct 22nd, 2010I made your sour cream pear cake with a Korean pear that I found at the market. Since I am in Korea, it seemed fitting! It was delicious and so simple to make. Thank you! Check out the cake on my blog http://bit.ly/b8QdCg
2:28 am Oct 24th, 2010Oh I wish I could find pecans in Italy! Makes me think of my Uncle Phil’s fantastic pecan Pie …..Is there any italian reader who can help me in the search? I’d love to make this nice autumn pie!
5:06 am Oct 26th, 2010[...] 9/29: Apples 10/6: Fall Salads 10/13: Pumpkin + Winter Squash – I missed this one! 10/20: Pears 10/27: “Mad Stash” (as in what you’re shoving in freezer/jars/dehydrator, etc.) 11/3: Root [...]
8:54 am Oct 27th, 2010[...] 9/29: Apples 10/6: Fall Salads 10/13: Pumpkin + Winter Squash – I missed this one! 10/20: Pears 10/27: “Mad Stash” (as in what you’re shoving in freezer/jars/dehydrator, etc.) 11/3: Root [...]
3:01 am Nov 10th, 2010[...] 9/29: Apples 10/6: Fall Salads 10/13: Pumpkin + Winter Squash – I missed this one! 10/20: Pears 10/27: “Mad Stash” (as in what you’re shoving in freezer/jars/dehydrator, etc.) 11/3: Root [...]
6:00 pm Nov 17th, 2010[...] 9/29: Apples 10/6: Fall Salads 10/13: Pumpkin + Winter Squash – I missed this one! 10/20: Pears 10/27: “Mad Stash” (as in what you’re shoving in freezer/jars/dehydrator, etc.) 11/3: Root [...]
12:49 pm Nov 29th, 2010i always visit food blogs because i always like to do some home cooked meals *;;
1:29 pm Dec 1st, 2010[...] Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Sour Cream Pear Cake [...]
12:56 pm Jul 13th, 2011[...] Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Sour Cream Pear Cake/ [...]
6:55 pm Dec 10th, 2011