How to Make the Softest Italian Pear and Almond Chocolate Cake


Valentine’s Day Delight or Daily Coffee Side?

pear and almond chocolate cake slice with red bow

This Pear and Almond Chocolate Cake is a delicious and versatile dessert that works wonderfully as an indulgent dessert to finish a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner AND as a side for your daily coffee(s).

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To the Italians, it is in most cases the latter, but that does not mean this pear and almond chocolate cake cannot make a perfect special occasion dessert. To me, it works the same way Tiramisù would: “wow!” And “can I have more, please?”

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Imagine the combination of delicate, soft and juicy pears and the crunchiness offered by the crushed almonds. Add to that the richness of chocolate, and the result is an explosion of tastes on your palate! Nothing short than a heavenly dessert to the gluttonous! 

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As is often the case with Italian cuisine, this cake is easy to make and so scrumptious – a guarantee that you will impress the beneficiary no matter the occasion!

pear and almond chocolate cake cut

Ingredients for Pear and Almond Chocolate Cake

Flour + Baking powder

Almonds (crushed and flakes, slightly roasted)

Pears (ripe and juicy)

Butter (melted and cooled)

Eggs

Coconut sugar

Powdered sugar

Cacao powder (dark)

Unsweetened almond milk

Lemon zest and juice (always use organic to avoid chemicals and wax in the peel)

Almond essence

Salt

Method

Start by washing and peeling the pears. Slice half a pear for decoration and cut the rest in 1-2 cm cubes. Cover with lemon juice to prevent from oxidising. 

Roast and ground the almonds. Separately, slightly roast the flaked almonds for decoration to enhance the taste.

In a large bowl, mix the coconut sugar with the egg yolks and lemon zest. Use a hand mixer at low velocity to start, then increase to high and keep whisking until the volume almost doubles and the consistency becomes creamy.

Add the milk and melted butter (cooled). Mix with a spoon.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and cacao powder in a large bowl and incorporate it one spoon at a time into the creamy mix.

Add the crushed almonds and the almond essence.

Separately, add a little salt to the egg whites and beat with a handheld mixer until stiff. Add it gradually to the creamy mix and incorporate slowly, using a spoon.

Add the cut pears and mix carefully not to crush them. 

Preheat the oven to 170 C Fan/180 regular/350 F/ Gas mark 4. Place paper parchment on a round baking tin (mine has 24 cm in diameter; it is OK to use a smaller one, but I would not recommend a larger one – your cake will be too flat.)

Empty the composition into the tray and spread it evenly without pressing down too much. 

Sprinkle a layer of roasted almond flakes, then decorate with pear slices. 

Bake for 40 minutes and do the toothpick test to check that your chocolate, pear and almond cake is ready. If the toothpick comes out wet, you might need an additional 5-10 minutes of baking. 

Transfer to a rack and wait until cool to sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Serve with coffee or a glass of Prosecco if the occasion is right.

If it lasts, you could store the pear and almond chocolate cake in the fridge for 2-3 days (in an airtight container or covered with cling film) or in the freezer for up to three months. Preferably cut it in slices before freezing for easier defrosting.

I have made this Italian delight many times, and it never lasted more than a day and the next morning at our house. We put it down to being coffee addicts, but the truth is this cake is simply outstanding! 

And there is that funny thing with visitors always arriving when there’s something baking in the oven. A bit of a mystery as to how that happens. I’m still unsure how long the wavelength of baking aroma is, but I’m sure these mysterious appearances have something to do with complex baking physics laws. As a result, my cakes will never see the inside of the freezer!

Buon appetito!

chocolate, pear and almond cake slice

Pear and Almond Chocolate Cake

A scrumptious and versatile Italian dessert for all day use and special occasions alike
5 from 33 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 people

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g white flour organic
  • 100 g butter melted and cooled
  • 120 g coconut sugar organic
  • 4 pcs eggs organic, large
  • 40 g cacao powder organic
  • 6-7 tbsp almond milk unsweetened
  • 150 g crushed almonds roasted
  • 20 g flaked almonds roasted
  • 3 pcs pear large
  • 1 lemon zest and juice organic
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp almond essence
  • a pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Choose large, ripe but firm pears. Wash and peel.
  • Slice ½ pear for decoration and cut the rest in small cubes.
    Cover with lemon juice to prevent from oxidising. 
  • Roast the almonds, cool and grind finely. Slightly roast the flaked almonds for decoration to enhance the taste.
  • In a large bowl, mix the coconut sugar with the egg yolks and lemon zest. Use a hand mixer at low velocity to start, then increase to high and keep whisking until the volume almost doubles and the consistency becomes that of soft cream.
  • Add the milk and melted butter (cooled) and mix with a spoon.
  • Sieve the flour, baking powder and cacao powder together in a large bowl and incorporate one spoon at the time into the creamy mix.
    mix ingredients
  • Add the crushed almonds and the almond essence.
  • Separately, add a little salt to the egg whites and beat with the handheld mixer until stiff.
  • Add gradually to the creamy mix and incorporate slowly, using a spoon.
    beaten egg whites
  • Add the cut pears and mix carefully not to crush the pears. 
  • Preheat the oven to 170° C Fan/180° C regular oven/350° F/ Gas mark 4. Place paper parchment on a round baking tin (mine has 24 cm in diameter; it is OK to use a smaller one, but I would not recommend a larger one – your cake will be too flat.)
  • Empty the composition into the tray and spread it evenly without pressing down too much. 
  • Sprinkle a layer of roasted almond flakes, then decorate with the pear slices. The pears' weight might sink them during baking, but I noticed that a thin layer of almond flakes underneath prevents this from happening.
    before baking
  • Bake for 40 minutes and do the toothpick test to check that your chocolate, pear and almond cake is ready. If the toothpick comes out wet, you might need to bake for additional 5-10 minutes. 
  • Transfer to a rack and wait until cool to sprinkle with powdered sugar. 
    baked cake
  • Serve with coffee or a glass of Prosecco if the occasion is right.

Notes

You can store the pear and almond chocolate cake in the fridge for 2-3 days (cover with cling film) or in the freezer for up to three months. Preferably cut it in slices before freezing for easier defrosting.
Keyword Italian Dessert, pear and almond chocolate cake, valentine’s dessert

I hope you enjoyed reading this romantic recipe and decided to give it a go! You can find more like this in the Savour the Flavour section of this blog or on my Pinterest board with the same name. Please share it on your desserts board; it will help this blog grow and motivate me to write more for your enjoyment! Thank you!

Valentine’s Day Delight or Daily Coffee Side?


The World Is An Oyster

Working as a journalist during university was pretty exciting. But landing a cruise ship job barely a year in my new graduate career was something else! Overnight, I moved from an already exhilarating job to an even better one. One that would allow me to wake up every morning in a different country. What more can a twenty-something wish for? The fact that I was fluent in a few languages helped. It made it easier to obtain the position I was seeking at the Shore Excursions department. Apart from dispatching tours in the morning and selling tickets in the evening, I would spend nearly every day on different trips. I did this a few years, spending half a year onboard and about two months at home. I enjoyed it immensely. I met fascinating people from all over the Globe and collected memories to last me a lifetime. Not to mention that I received a salary for seeing all those magnificent places the Earth has to offer! In an ideal world, everybody should live as they want. For me, that would translate into travel, then travel some more and keep travelling!

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68 Responses

  1. This pear and almond chocolate cake sounds divine! I love the mix of textures with juicy pears and crunchy almonds. Perfect for a cozy coffee break or a special dessert treat!

  2. nancy says:

    5 stars
    lovely cake and my guests all enjoyed it

  3. Trina says:

    Hi there, the recipe does not say how many eggs to use! Can you tell me how many I should use?

  4. Joanna says:

    5 stars
    So yummy! I recently embarked on a new eating regimen according to TCM and discovered that I have to avoid certain foods like apples for example. But pears and chocolate are good for me so this will make a perfect dessert. Thank you!

  5. Mike says:

    I’ve never had a pear almond chocolate cake before but it sounds intriguing. Thanks for sharing.

  6. Hadassah says:

    5 stars
    I just love this recipe for Italian pear and almond chocolate cake! I love these 3 ingredients: almonds, chocolate, and pears and it is awesome to see them all together in one recipe. Thanks for sharing!

  7. Lisa says:

    5 stars
    This recipe for pear and almond chocolate cake looks mouthwateringly delicious. I always enjoy your recipes. Thank you for sharing this romantic treat.

  8. Never had Pear Cake. It looks and sounds delicious.

  9. Denice says:

    Oh, this looks great. I have leftover pears from my CSA box ready to use…. looks like this is going to happen this week!

  10. Toni says:

    5 stars
    This is totally irresistible! My family loved it!

  11. Great recipe! Will definitely try that!

  12. Tim says:

    This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!

  13. Anaiah says:

    5 stars
    Loved how easy to make and soooo delicious this was. My first time using pear in baking and it turned out perfectly!

  14. Jill says:

    5 stars
    the flavors and textures look amazing! I can’t wait to try this! Sounds so delicious!

  15. Natalie says:

    5 stars
    The texture is amazing. I can’t wait to make this cake for my family.

  16. Marysa says:

    This sounds like a delicious combination of flavors. I haven’t made a cake like this before and it is nice to make something different.

  17. 5 stars
    Simply delicious! I love pears and am always on the lookout for new dessert recipes. I just found one, yours.

  18. Gloria says:

    5 stars
    This is my kind of cake. Perfect for desserty any day of the week. Great take along to a party too.

  19. Natalie says:

    5 stars
    I love that you used cacao powder and coconut sugar here in this recipe. Lovely cake. Can’t wait to give it a try.

  20. Brianna says:

    5 stars
    This cake turned out very similar to one from my favorite Italian bakery. Absolutely love the combo and pears!

  21. AISilva says:

    5 stars
    My whole family are suckers for soft cakes. So taking a soft cake an adding pear and almonds and chocolate sounds amazing to me. I will be making this soon.

  22. Marcellina says:

    5 stars
    This is one of the best flavour combinations! Pears team so we’ll with chocolate and yes, with a coffee this is a perfect dessert!

  23. Lindsay says:

    This looks SO good, adore the combo of pear and almond!

  24. Gloria says:

    5 stars
    I love coffee cakes. This looks so delicious. No-fuss baking with delicious results. Perfect for weekend brunch too.

  25. Andra says:

    5 stars
    This sounds like a dream come true! Pears, almonds and chocolate? I absolutely LOVE the combo

  26. Ivana Mearns says:

    5 stars
    I love pears and this is a great recipe! Thank you.

  27. Sadie says:

    This looks delicious! Thank you for providing so much detail!

  28. Linda says:

    Ohhh…this with coffee…definitely! Wish I had a slice right now (as I’m slurping down the rest of my morning brew)!

  29. 5 stars
    This looks so good ! I can’t wait to try it 💛

  30. Pear and chocolate go SO well together. This recipe looks amazing- I’ve already saved it to try.

  31. Sarah says:

    I would have never thought to add pears and almonds into a chocolate cake. This looks really good and pretty easy to make. I will have to give this recipe a try next time I’m craving cake.

  32. Ana says:

    I’m so excited to make this recipe! My MIL gave me a few pears from a fruit basket she received. This dessert sounds perfect. Like you, treats don’t usually make it to the freezer in my house. We’ll be living in the moment and savoring every morsel. Thank you for the inspiration.

  33. Gabriela Herrera says:

    5 stars
    Everytime I visit your site I get hungry and have to go snack on something wishing it was your food. :”( Thank you so much for such a decadent dessert.

  34. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness this sounds amazing! I definitely need to make this soon!

  35. 5 stars
    I’ve never heard of this before, but it looks absolutely delicious! I’ve got to try this recipe some time. Thanks for sharing!

  36. Lisa says:

    5 stars
    This looks delicious! My mother-in-law loves cake and this would be a great one to try. I love all three pictures you included. Nice job!

  37. Alyssa Hixenbaugh says:

    5 stars
    I love the combo of chocolate and almonds, and I’m sure the pear makes things even better. I’ll have to buy some pears soon, so I can try it out!

  38. Emily says:

    5 stars
    Pear, almond AND chocolate??? I’m in! I love anything I can bake and have with my coffee. Can’t wait to make this!

  39. Christina says:

    5 stars
    I love European tortes! This reminds me of a cake I used to have in Germany. Delicious – thanks for the recipe!

  40. Marta says:

    5 stars
    I’ve never made a chocolate and pear cake so I was eager to bake this one up. It was better than I expected. A fast favorite!

  41. Melinda says:

    5 stars
    I’ve got pears in my fridge just waiting to be used. I think this will be the perfect recipe for them.

  42. 5 stars
    This looks and sounds amazing! I bet the combination of sweet pear and chocolate pair beautifully.

  43. Leah says:

    Ooo I definitely can see this being a romantic dessert but also see myself serving for breakfast with coffee 😂

  44. Jeannie says:

    5 stars
    love to try this! Really perfect with coffee and ingredients are easy I can maybe skip the egg. Thanks for sharing

  45. taffy says:

    5 stars
    this looks delicious and healthy at the same time. thanks for sharing the recipe

  46. 5 stars
    What a fantastic recipe and so easy to make. I can taste it now with a chilled glass of prosecco :).
    Thank you for sharing

  47. Karletta says:

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness. Pear Almond AND chocolate … this could very well overtake the long standing #1 place of deserts for me. Move over Panna Cotta

    • The battle of Italian goodies! Haha! Tiramisu and this cake for me, although the Panna Cotta I had in a mountain lodge restaurant in Romania, made with organic buffalo’s milk, beats any other dessert on the planet!

  48. Marita says:

    5 stars
    hmmm what a delicious cake. I love pear tart. Thanks for the recipe. I would make it for Valentines day… but I hate sharing my treats 😂

  49. Thanks for sharing my Pear and Almond Chocolate Cake recipe! It shows under a Tiramisu, though. You might want to check the order of images, thanks

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