This Pear Sour Cream Cake can be divided into 3 layers with different textures. Starting with the buttery and crispy crust, followed by the crunchy pear custard filling to the soft and creamy sour cream topping. Dusted with cinnamon & cardamom is the perfect finishing touch.
The cake is perfect for many occasions and is loved by kids as much as adults. It’s great for a festive coffee gathering or a casual get-together with friends. Making this pear sour cream cake is simple, you just need to plan enough time for it to set, so it’s best to make the cake one day ahead.
You can pre-bake the crust, but it’s not a necessity. I personally do not peel the pears, I add them to the cake with the skin. You can adjust this according to your preferences, so if you’re not a fan, peel the pears before adding them to the filling.
Tools & Equipment
- 23cm/9-inch springform pan
- Cooking spray
- Cutting board
- Medium saucepan
- Parchment paper
- Paring knife
- Rolling pin
- Silicone spatula
- Small bowl
- Stand mixer fitted with paddle & whisk attachment
- Whisk
- Wire rack
Recipe Tips
Juice for the Filling: I usually use pear juice for the filling, but I didn’t have any on hand. Alternatively, I used apple juice instead. I like to use 100% all-natural apple juice without added sugar. This works really well.
Chill & Roll Out the Dough: If the dough feels too sticky when you roll it out, wrap it in plastic and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. In most cases, it works well without chilling. For better handling, roll out the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Then you can easily invert the dough over the springform pan and gently press it down with your fingers on the bottom and sides of the pan.
Pre-bake the Crust: I baked the crust for 10 minutes before adding the filling on top and continue baking the cake. You can alternatively skip this step and top the unbaked crust directly with the filling. However, I would then bake the cake 5-10 minutes longer.
Ingredients for Pear Sour Cream Cake
Step by Step Guide – How to Make Pear Sour Cream Cake
Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and spray a 23cm/9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer knead flour, sugar, baking powder, egg, salt and butter on medium until smooth, for about 2 minutes.
Roll out dough on a sheet of parchment and invert over the springform pan. Press the dough down to the bottom and sides with your fingers. Bake for 10 minutes.
Make the Pear Custard Filling
Wash, core and cut the pears into small cubes. Mix together 2-3 tablespoons of the apple juice with the custard powder until smooth. Add the remaining apple juice and sugar to a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then stir in the custard mixture and pears. Reduce to medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
Pour the pear custard filling onto the pre-baked crust and bake for 40-50 minutes. The cake is done when the filling is no longer jiggly. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then chill in the fridge overnight.
Use a sharp knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Open the springform pan to see if the sides release from the pan, then close it again. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the heavy cream on low speed first. Add vanilla sugar and beat on high until stiff, for about 2 minutes. Fold in the sour cream.
Spread the sour cream mixture on top of the custard pear filling, smooth with a silicone spatula and chill in the fridge for another hour.
Release the cake from the springform pan and dust with cinnamon & cardamom before serving.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storage: Keep the cake in the fridge until serving. You can store any leftovers wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions: To freeze, wrap leftovers in plastic and freeze in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, place it in the fridge overnight or let the cake sit at room temperature for a few hours.
My Summary for Pear Sour Cream Cake
Difficulty: Simple.
Taste: This Pear Sour Cream Cake has a buttery crust, with a fruity custard filling and a creamy topping with a nice hint of cinnamon.
Texture: The crust is crunchy, the pear custard filling still has some bite from the pear chunks, and the sour cream topping is deliciously creamy.
Time: Preparation of the crust takes about 15 minutes and 10 minutes for pre-baking. The pear custard filling is done in about 25 minutes. Then the cake needs to be baked for about 40-50 minutes and afterwards cooled at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then place the cake in the fridge overnight. The next day, make the sour cream mixture and spread it on the cake, this takes about 10 minutes. The cake should then go back into the fridge for another 60 minutes or so.
You can see, some planning ahead is helpful here. The active preparation time, however, is not that much.
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