Pear and Caramel Cake

Moist and fluffy brown sugar butter cake layers with spiced caramel, caramel buttercream, roasted hazelnuts and tender poached pears. A warm, cozy and stunning pear and caramel layered cake. 

This is my idea of a perfect cake with a cup of tea or coffee. This pear and caramel cake is made from moist brown sugar cake layers with a spiced caramel buttercream, liquid caramel, roasted hazelnuts and tender poached pears. This is one stunner of a cake and the flavours that go into this are incredible (if I may say so myself!)

While the rest of the world is getting ready for summer, in Australia we're getting the most beautiful winter produce. While I might be getting jealous of all the beautiful stone fruits and cherries, I think it's time to turn the tables...

Tips on Poaching Pears

Poached pears are so easy to make and can make any dessert look sophisticated. All you need is pears, brown sugar, spices and water!

Here are a couple of tips to ensure you have perfect poached pears

• Peel and core your pears beforehand: Peeling your pears may be a given, but coring them is often forgotten (myself included!) While it is possible to core your pears after they've been poached, the process makes them a lot softer and harder to handle. Removing the insides with a corer before hand makes it so much easier later!
• Make sure there is enough water to cover you pears: It is important that your poaching liquid covers your pears. This will ensure that they are evenly poached.
• Don't use a pot that is too big: If your pot is too big you will need a lot more water to ensure your pears are covered in poaching liquid. The more water there is the more diluted your poaching liquid will be.
• Cut a piece of baking paper to the size of your pot: Cut a round of baking paper the size of your pot with a small hole in the centre. Place this on top of your pears and push down. This will ensure that the pears are always covered in poaching liquid. Allowing for an even poach.

Making Caramel from Poaching Liquid

I like to make the caramel from the poaching liquid because it is full of spiced pear flavour. The only downside to this is that it will take a while for the liquid to reduce down due to the amount of water added to it while poaching the pears.

When reducing your poaching liquid keep an eye on it as it is easy to boil over. Keep it on a medium low heat and stir occasionally.

There is no need to use a candy thermometer when making this caramel. Just keep an eye on it! When your poaching liquid has reduced by more than half and thickened slightly add the cream. Be careful as it will splatter a little. Then continue cooking the caramel until thickened. The caramel will firm up a lot when cooled, so there is no need to reduce it until very thick- if you do, you'll have made caramel candy!

Once you have taken the caramel off the heat add the butter and stir until melted. Then allow it to cool completely before you use it in your cake!

Troubleshooting your caramel

Once the caramel has cooled you will see the true consistency of your caramel. If you find it is too thin return it to the heat and cook it for a couple more minutes before cooling.

If you find it is too thick add some water and heat until the water is full incorporated. Then remove from heat and cool.

Caramel Buttercream

This is one of the easiest buttercreams to make because you only need two ingredients. Butter and caramel (assuming you've made the caramel!)

A couple of tips to ensure you have a silky smooth caramel:

• Beat the butter until smooth before adding the caramel: This will help the incorporation process
• Make sure your caramel has cooled completely before adding to the butter: If the caramel is still warm it will melt the butter and cause it to melt
• Beat until the buttercream has lighten significantly in colour and texture: The buttercream will continue to lighten as you beat it. The longer you beat it, the lighter and fluffier your buttercream will be.

Let's Get Cooking

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went. Also don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts so I can see and share your desserts.

Follow me on facebook, pinterest, youtube and tiktok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!

📖 Recipe

Pear and Caramel Cake

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Moist and fluffy brown sugar butter cake layers with spiced caramel, caramel buttercream, roasted hazelnuts and tender poached pears. A warm, cozy and stunning pear and caramel layered cake. 

• Author: Catherine Zhang
• Prep Time: 60
• Cook Time: 120
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 1 x 6- inch cake 1x
• Category: Cake
• Method: Advanced
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

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Brown Sugar Cake

• 250g Plain flour (2 cups)
• 200g White sugar (1 cup)
• 75g Brown sugar (⅓ cup 2 tsp)
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 115g Unsalted butter (½ cup)
• 40g Vegetable oil (3 tbsp)
• 2 Eggs
• 200g Milk (¾ cup 4 tsp)
• 1 tbs Vanilla extract

Poached Pears

• 3 Small pears, Williams or Bosc, peeled and cored
• 300g Brown sugar (1 ½ cups)
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp All spice
• Water, enough to just cover the pears

Caramel

• Poaching liquid from the pears
• 200ml Thickened cream (¾ cup 4 tsp)
• 20g Unsalted butter (1 ½ tbs)
• Pinch of salt

Buttercream

• 160g Caramel, prepared as recipe (5.6oz)
• 200g Unsalted butter, softened (¾ cup 2 tbsp)

Assembly

• Roasted hazelnuts, to decorate

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Instructions

Brown Sugar Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 175C / 350F
2. Line the bottom of two 6 inch tins with baking paper
3. Add flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer, mix to combine
4. With the mixer on low add the softened butter a little at a time, mixing until the mixture resembles sand
5. Add the oil and beat until incorporated
6. In a small bowl or jug, beat the milk and eggs together
7. With the stand mixer on low slowly pour the milk/egg into the batter, beat until just combined
8. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1 minute
9. Divide the batter between the lined tins
10. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean
11. Remove and cool completely
12. Run a thin knife around the edges and invert the pans to remove the cakes
13. Trim the bottom caramelised layer and level the cakes

See Also This Recipe:  Chocolate Crepe Cake

Poached pears

1. In a small pot combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and all spice
2. Place the pears into the pot and pour enough water to just cover, stir to distribute the brown sugar and spices
3. Cut a round of baking paper to the diameter of the pot and cut a hole in the centre
4. Place the baking paper on top of the pears and press down to ensure all the pears are submerged in the liquid
5. Cook on low for 1 hour, or until pears are tender
6. Remove pears and set aside

Caramel

1. Heat the poaching liquid over medium-high heat until reduced by more than half, stirring occasionally (this will take a while but keep an eye on it)
2. Add the cream, increase heat to high and stir continuously until thickened (this will take anywhere from 3-10 minutes, keep stirring and checking the consistency)
3. Remove from heat and add the butter and salt, stirring until melted
4. Cool completely

Buttercream

1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium until smooth
2. Add the caramel and beat for 5-10 minutes on medium-high, or until light and fluffy

Assembly

1. Fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip with half the buttercream
2. Lay down one layer of cake and spread an even layer of buttercream, then pipe a border along the circumference of the cake 
3. Fill the centre of the ring with caramel
4. Top with the other layer of cake
5. Then top the cake with the remaining buttercream, pears and roasted hazelnuts
6. Fill a piping bag with the remaining caramel and pipe drips down the cake
7. Enjoy!

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