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    Home » Vegan Recipes

    Vegan Spiced Pear & Almond Cake

    Published: Jan 12, 2021 · Modified: Apr 29, 2022 by Tajda Ferko This post may contain affiliate links

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    Jump to Recipe

    This vegan pear cake is light, fluffy and super moist. It's the perfect dessert for beginners, looks beautiful and has a delicious hint of cinnamon, maple and lemon.

    A round cake in a black tin surrounded by plates, bowls and pears.
    Jump to:
    • Why choose this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step
    • Expert Tips
    • FAQs
    • Variations
    • 🍴Recipe

    Disclosure: This recipe post is part of a paid collaboration with Maple from Canada UK. All opinions expressed are my own.

    Why choose this recipe

    • It's the perfect cake for beginner bakers
    • Undetectably vegan
    • Super fluffy and moist inside
    • Golden flaky almonds & spiced with cinnamon
    • Both EU and US measurements
    • Foolproof recipe
    • Easily accessible & staple ingredients
    • Full step-by-step photo guide below

    Ingredients

    Below are the ingredients you will need to bake this delicious vegan pear cake.

    Various ingredients needed to make a vegan pear cake laid out on a grey surface.

    A few ingredient notes before we dive in:

    Oat milk: this can be substituted for any other plant milk.

    Flaxseed: make sure to use ground flaxseed. We will use this to create a vegan 'egg'.

    Pears: use any variety of pear that you like. Do not worry if the pears aren't completely ripe yet. They will soften up and become sweeter when baked.

    Maple syrup: a crucial ingredient that will add a rich, sweet flavour to your cake.

    Step-by-step

    This cake is super easy and fun to make.

    To make things even simpler I've got an easy visual guide for you below.

    For full instructions and ingredients list for this dairy-free pear cake, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

    A collage of 12 images showing all the steps in making a cake.

    1. Combine flaxseed and water to make a vegan 'flax egg'. Set aside.

    2. Combine all your dry ingredients.

    3. Combine oil, milk, maple syrup and lemon juice.

    4. Add flax egg to your wet ingredients.

    5. Slowly pour your wet mixture into the centre of your dry mixture.

    6. Mix gently until no more flour can be seen. Do not overmix.

    7. Cut a pear into cubes and coat in flour and cinnamon. Add to your batter.

    8. Pour the batter into a lined cake tin. Even out the top.

    9. Slice a pear into thin slices.

    10. Decorate the cake with pear slices.

    11. Brush the top with maple syrup.

    12. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.

    Bake for 50-55 minutes at 338°F / 170°C (fan oven setting).

    Expert Tips

    Three round plates with a slice of cake each.

    1. Your vegan 'egg' 

    The vegan egg is a crucial part of this vegan pear cake. The recipe simply won't work without it.

    To make it all you need to do is combine ground flaxseed with boiling hot water. This last detail is super important! Make sure your water really is super hot. If it's not hot enough, the flaxseed won't set well.

    Who knew making your own vegan 'egg' could be that simple, right?

    2. Do not overmix 

    Remember to never overmix your batter. This tip goes for all cake recipes, not just this one.

    You will need to be quick and gentle when making your batter. Simply combine the wet and dry mixtures until no more flour specs can be seen and then stop.

    The more you mix, the less fluffy and airy your cake will end up being.

    3. The golden glaze

    Last but not least, I'm sharing my all-time favourite tip to make your pear cake look gorgeous, golden and shiny!

    You will need to brush it with maple syrup before the bake and then again for the last 5 minutes of baking. This will create not just a stunning golden glaze but bring out a rich sweet flavour that perfectly complements the pear. It really is the perfect combo!

    I've used maple syrup from Maple from Canada UK. I've previously used their maple syrup in my vegan pumpkin rolls recipe which is still one of my personal faves!

    FAQs

    One slice being lifted out of a round pear cake.
    How do I check my cake is baked?

    Simply insert a wooden skewer in the middle of your cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is baked. If it doesn't come out clean, pop it back in for 5 minutes and check again.

    How do I slice the pear?

    Make sure you slice it very thin. Here's a handy video that shows you how.

    How to prevent a dense cake?

    First, ensure you’ve added your baking powder.

    If you have you might have overmixed your dough which means the texture will stay tight and feel heavy.

    Secondly, if the cake is underbaked it might lose some of the rise from the baking powder which will make it more dense.

    Bake a little longer in the oven if the cake is still warm. If not leave as is and bake a little longer next time.

    How do I store my cake?

    First, let it cool completely. Then store in an airtight container and eat within 4-5 days.

    Can I freeze my pear cake?

    Sure. Simply let it cool completely, then cut into slices. Pop them in an airtight container and freeze. Eat within 2 to 3 months.

    How do I slice my cake?

    Make sure to wait until it cools down. This will make it a lot easier to cut.

    Then use a sharp knife and cut into slices of your desired size. I find that a simple bread knife works very well.

    Can I make this into a loaf cake?

    Yes, absolutely. You can bake a vegan pear loaf cake using the exact same recipe. Simply just pour the batter into a lined loaf tin and bake for the same amount of time.

    What size cake tin did you use?

    I used a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin.

    Variations

    A side view of a baked cake inside a round cake tin.

    Below are some of my ideas on how you could substitute certain ingredients in this vegan pear cake:

    • Olive oil – Can be substituted for any light vegetable oil (such as sunflower or rapeseed). Do not substitute for coconut oil as this will completely change the batter.
    • Oat milk – Use any plant milk you have on hand such as almond, soy, hemp, etc. I used unsweetened oat milk in order to avoid any extra sugars. Avoid using coconut milk as the taste wouldn't complement the other flavours in the cake.
    • Sugar – Choose white caster sugar for best results. In the US, caster sugar is sometimes called superfine sugar or baker's sugar. If desired, you can substitute it for brown sugar, but this might make the texture less fluffy.

    Any other ingredients you’re missing at the moment?

    Get in touch via the comments below and I’ll see if I can find a good substitution for you!

    Looking to try more similar recipes? You will love my:

    • Simple Vegan Cherry Pie
    • Vegan Lemon Loaf Cake
    • Vegan Apple Sauce Cake

    Or explore my full desserts section.

    If you stuck with me until the end, thank you so much!

    Feel free to ask any questions or leave your feedback on my vegan pear cake in the comments section below.

    Reading your feedback and hearing about your remakes never fails to make my day!

    🍴Recipe

    Vegan Spiced Pear & Almond Cake

    Super airy, moist & delicious vegan pear cake with a hint of cinnamon, lemon and maple.
    5 from 25 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Baking time: 55 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 slices
    Calories: 326kcal
    Author: Tajda Ferko

    Equipment

    • 20cm (8 inch) Round cake tin
    • Baking paper
    • Measuring scales or cups
    • Knife, bowls & chopping board

    Ingredients

    FOR THE CAKE

    • 3 tablespoon flaxseed ground
    • 0.4 cups boiling hot water
    • 1¾  cup plain white flour
    • ½ cup caster sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoon cinnamon ground
    • 3 teaspoon baking powder
    • 0.6 cup olive oil
    • ½ cup oat milk unsweetened
    • 3 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 pear skin removed

    TO COAT THE PEAR CUBES

    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
    • 1 teaspoon plain white flour

    TO DECORATE

    • 1 pear sliced
    • 2 teaspoon maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon flaked almonds

    OPTIONAL TOPPING

    • 2 teaspoon maple flakes
    US Cups - Metric

    Instructions

    FOR THE CAKE

    • Pre-heat your fan oven to 338°F / 170°C. Heat to 374°F (190°C) if you're not using a fan setting.
    • Add flaxseed and boiling hot water to a small bowl. Stir and set aside. This will create a flax egg.
    • Combine flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking powder in a large bowl.
    • In a second bowl whisk together oil, milk, maple syrup and lemon juice.
    • Add your flax egg to your oil mixture and mix well.
    • Slowly pour the oil mixture into the centre of your flour mixture.
    • Mix until no more flour specs remain, but do not overmix.
    • Remove the pear skin. Then cut your pear into small cubes. Coat them in flour & cinnamon (see the section 'To Coat The Pear Cubes').
    • Add the pear cubes to your mixture and stir gently.
    • Line the bottom of a round cake tin with a layer of baking paper. Brush the sides with a layer of oil.
    • Pour your mixture into the loaf tin and smooth out the top using a silicone spatula.
    • Decorate with slices of pear, then brush pear slices with maple syrup and top cake off with flaked almonds.
    • Bake at 338°F / 170°C (fan oven setting) for 50-55 minutes.
    • Quickly remove from the oven and brush the entire top with a layer of maple syrup.
    • Bake for another 5 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    • Once baked, let cool completely. Top off with another layer of maple syrup and maple flakes if desired.

    Notes

    • See the step-by-step photos in the blog post above as your visual guide.
    • This recipe has been tested using weight measurements (not cups). As always, I strongly recommend using weight measurements (both EU and US weights are stated in the recipe card). Cups vary in size and are thus considerably less exact.
    • Make sure to not overmix your batter. Overmixing will create a rubbery instead of crumbly and light texture. 
    • Use a wooden or metal skewer inserted in the middle of your cake to check if it's baked. If your skewer comes out clean, the cake is baked. If you don't have a skewer, use a thin knife or a chopstick.
    • The skewer didn't come out clean? Bake for another 5 minutes and test again. 
    • Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days. 
    • Want to freeze the cake? Slice, place in an airtight container and freeze. Eat within 2 to 3 months. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 2mg

    Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.

    Tried This Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @MyVeganMinimalist or tag #MyVeganMinimalist!

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    Comments

    1. Rita Esther Beltran

      February 04, 2021 at 1:59 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is delicious, I can't stop eating this cake. Since I had it on the oven the whole apartment was smelling so so good. I love the simplicity of the ingredients I had everything home except for the pears. I replaced the caster sugar for coconut since that is what I had. Will definitely be making this cake again and again. You should try it as well.

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        February 04, 2021 at 2:59 pm

        Thank you so much for your lovely review Rita, that means a lot! Glad to know it works so well with coconut sugar 🙂 Hope you have a lovely day! x

        Reply
    2. Linda

      February 17, 2021 at 6:59 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! I'm new to vegan baking and this cake is really easy to make. I used apples instead of pears and it turned out sooo delicious and fluffy! Will definitely make it again 🙂

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        February 17, 2021 at 7:23 pm

        Ohh how lovely, thank you so much for leaving such a lovely review, Linda! Glad to hear it worked so well with apples too xx

        Reply
    3. Marta

      March 11, 2021 at 3:09 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is truly wonderful! I made this cake for a family gathering of vegans and non-vegans and it turned out to be such a hit! Even the most sceptical family members loved it and it was the first cake to disappear off the table 🙂 I highly recommend it for any occasion.

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        March 14, 2021 at 4:26 pm

        Ahh thank you so much Marta, I'm honestly so happy to hear that! The first cake to disappear off the table - what a fab compliment! xx

        Reply
    4. kat

      March 30, 2021 at 12:41 pm

      4 stars
      milk is not listed on the recipe?
      I cant seem to find it yet it is in the description of making it part.

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        March 30, 2021 at 7:52 pm

        Hiya lovely, the oat milk measurement is listed between the olive oil and the maple syrup - the 9th on the list 🙂

        Reply
    5. Jen

      October 06, 2021 at 5:04 am

      i’m not a big cinammon fan, but love the taste of fresh pears. Would you be able to suggest something to replace the cinammon?

      Also would aquafaba work instead of the flax egg?

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        October 11, 2021 at 12:04 pm

        Hi lovely, I would recommend cardamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cover, allspice, etc. There's definitely a lot of room for experimentation with this so feel free to get creative! 🙂 Haven't tried it with aquafaba just yet, but I think it would most likely work well (it might change the texture a little bit though).

        Reply
    6. Tonnie Bruner

      November 03, 2021 at 12:48 am

      I have frozen pears - would that work? I also was thinking to add some frozen blueberries - your thought please and how would I do the ratio's? thank you

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        November 03, 2021 at 4:42 pm

        Hi Tonnie, I think frozen pears would definitely work well if you let them thaw (defrost) at room temperature. After that, make sure to cut them into small pieces like the recipe says. Blueberries would work too - you could do a mix, for example half pear and half blueberries (ratio 1:1 in weight). Would really love to hear how it turns out!

        Reply
    7. Didi

      November 26, 2021 at 12:19 am

      5 stars
      I'm new to vegan baking so wasn't expecting this to be anything to write home about, but I was wrong, it's a great recipe! I substituted whole wheat pastry flour for half the flour and it baked up nicely in 45 minutes. Thank you - I'll make this again and again.

      Reply
    8. Janet

      April 06, 2022 at 10:33 pm

      5 stars
      At first I wasn’t sure whether or not this would turn out. The batter was quite thick and I wasn’t sure if I made a mistake. But it turned out perfectly! I think it would be really good with some cinnamon ice cream or spiced whip cream.

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        April 07, 2022 at 10:29 am

        Glad to hear it worked for you Janet! And yes, serving it with some cinnamon ice cream sounds heavenly!

        Reply
    9. Denise S

      April 29, 2022 at 6:02 pm

      Can this be made gluten free?

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        April 29, 2022 at 6:05 pm

        Full disclosure - I haven't tried making this cake gluten-free yet, but I think it would work! You would just need to sub out plain flour for gluten-free plain flour. Hope this helps and do let me know if you make it - I'd be interested to hear how it turned out. Enjoy your weekend! xx

        Reply
    10. Tricia

      September 11, 2022 at 8:32 am

      Hi I’m confused about the measurements what is 0.4 cups of boiling water in mls and 0.6 cup of olive oil . I really want to try it as it looks so good Thankyou Tricia

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        September 14, 2022 at 9:44 pm

        Hi Tricia, the metric measurements are all listed in the recipe - you'll just need to click on the button that says 'Metric' under the ingredient list and everything will be converted from cups to ml 🙂

        Reply
    11. Sherryl

      October 06, 2022 at 4:08 pm

      Unfortunately I did not see Tricia's question about measuring the ingredients and tried to guess the quantities in US cups. I knew before I put my 'cake' in the oven that it was far too dry and small due to lack of ingredients so I may end up with a large pear biscuit!! My attempt has literally gone Pear-shaped 🙂 Perhaps when I have some more pears I will try it again using the metric measures.

      Reply
    12. Cat Conlon

      February 15, 2023 at 6:37 pm

      5 stars
      What a fantastic recipe and an informative article ! I am new to vegan baking and this will be the first recipe I make. I can’t wait to try this, and thank you for including the helpful guidance on making a vegan egg.

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        February 16, 2023 at 11:18 am

        I'm so happy to hear that, thank you for sharing! If you run into any issues just let me know. Happy baking!! x

        Reply
    13. Aisha

      May 22, 2023 at 2:00 pm

      5 stars
      This cake turned out delicious! I made a couple of modifications - I subbed half wholemeal flour, used 3 eggs instead of flax eggs and swapped half the oil for yoghurt (as I’m not vegan) and added ground ginger, nutmeg and allspice. I know that this means it wasn’t true to the recipe, but I loved it all the same! I liked that it wasn’t too sweet and had a lovely pear flavour with subtle hints of cinnamon in the background. Highly recommend!

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko

        May 22, 2023 at 7:17 pm

        That's so wonderful to hear Aisha, thank you for your wonderful review! xxx

        Reply

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