Chocolate Pear Cake (No Eggs, No Dairy)

This Chocolate Pear Cake is an egg-free and dairy-free cake with sweet pear slices embedded at the top of a soft and moist crumb.

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While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!

Chocolate Pear Cake

This Chocolate Pear Cake is an egg-free and dairy-free cake with sweet pear slices embedded at the top of a soft and moist crumb.

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 55 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 212.4 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

To coat the pear slices

• ▢ 3 firm Pears - Beurré Bosc, not ripe, peeled, cored, sliced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Unrefined Sugar - (note 2)

For the chocolate cake

• ▢ 1 ⅓ cups All-purpose Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ 1 cup Unrefined Sugar - (note 2)
• ▢ 6 tablespoons Unsweetend Cocoa Powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ▢ ½ cup Almond Milk - (note 3)
• ▢ ⅓ cup Greek Coconut Yogurt - (note 4)
• ▢ ½ cup Boiled Water - (note 5)
• ▢ ¼ cup Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 6)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Topping

• ▢ 3 tablespoons Walnuts - crushed (note 7)
• ▢ 1.5 oz Dark Chocolate - roughly chopped (note 8)

Instructions

Prepare the Pears

• Select firm pears, the best are Beurré Bosc for the best result.
• Peel the pears, core, and slice them into 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) thick. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir to evenly combine.
• Add the pear slices to the flour mix above, toss to coat evenly. You want the flour mixture to stick to the pear slices. Some might not entirely stick to them, that's ok, leave it in the bowl. Set aside.

Make the Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, keeping some hanging on the sides; it makes it easier to transfer the cake to the cooling rack at the end. Spray cooking oil on the bottom and sides of the pan. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Add wet ingredients: almond milk, yogurt, boiled water, oil, and vanilla extract.
• Use a rubber spatula to stir and form a smooth chocolate cake batter.
• Pour the cake batter in the prepared pan.
• Add the coated pear slices prepared earlier on top of the cake. Do not add any of the flour left in the bowl where you coated the pear slices; discard it.
• Lightly press the pear slices on top of the cake.
• Sprinkle chopped walnuts and chopped dark chocolate all over the top of the cake.
• Bake the cake for 55-65 minutes on the middle rack of the oven at 350°F (180°C). Foil the top of the pan after 30 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
• Insert a long toothpick in the middle of the cake. It should come out with a little crumb, but not much. Don't be tricked by the melted chocolate chips sticking to the stick, it's not the cake crumb. When you have no crumb or just a few crumbs on the stick, the cake is ready to come out of the oven.
• Let the cake cool down for 10 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the cake and gently, carefully open the springform pan to release.
• Place 1 hour on a cooling rack before slicing.

Notes

Note 1: Or white spelt flour. The recipe doesn’t work with almond flour or oat flour. For a gluten-free version, use my gluten-free conversion guide.

Note 2: Or unrefined cane sugar, like coconut sugar or demerara sugar.

Note 3: Any milk works in the recipe, like oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.

Note 4: I bake with dairy-free coconut yogurt. You can also use another type of plain yogurt, like Greek yogurt, if you eat dairy.

Note 5: Boiled water means water that has been boiled and set aside for 1-2 minutes. You can swap half of the boiled water for warm espresso to boost the chocolate flavors of the cake and add a coffee flavor that goes so well with pear and chocolate.

Note 6: Or any low-flavor oil like canola oil.

Note 7: Or chopped pecans, hazelnuts, or skip if you don’t like nuts.

Note 8: I am using chopped 50% dark chocolate. You can use a 70% or 85% chocolate bar for a lower sugar content.

Chocolate Drizzle: To add the chocolate sauce, melt dark chocolate with a little bit of coconut oil and pour it on the cake slices.

Storage: Store the cake in the fridge in an airtight cake box for up to 3 days.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15°C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1slice (from 12 slices) | Calories: 212.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.5g | Protein: 3.1g | Fat: 7.9g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.7g | Sodium: 143.3mg | Potassium: 74.8mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Sugar: 19.1g | Vitamin A: 0.8IU | Vitamin B12: 0.04µg | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 46.5mg | Iron: 1.4mg | Magnesium: 20.6mg | Phosphorus: 58.3mg | Zinc: 0.4mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• Firm Pears – These are the star of the topping, providing a sweet and tender contrast to the chocolate cake. Using a firm variety like Beurré Bosc helps them hold their shape during baking. You’ll peel, core, and slice them to about 1/4 inch thick.
• All-Purpose Flour – This forms the main structure of your cake, giving it a soft and moist crumb. You can also use white spelt flour. It also helps coat the pear slices, preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the cake batter during baking. For a gluten-free version, use my gluten-free conversion guide. This recipe is not suitable for almond flour or oat flour.
• Unrefined Sugar – This sweetens the cake. You can use unrefined cane sugar options like coconut sugar or demerara sugar if you prefer. I also use it to add a touch of sweetness to the pear slices, enhancing their flavor as they bake.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – This provides the rich chocolate flavor for your cake.
• Baking Powder – This helps the cake rise and achieve a light, airy texture.
• Baking Soda – This works with the baking powder to ensure your cake rises well and has a tender crumb.
• Almond Milk – This contributes to the liquid content of the cake, ensuring it stays moist. Any plant-based milk, like oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk, will work well.
• Dairy-Free Greek Yogurt – This ingredient adds moisture and richness to the cake, contributing to its tender texture. I use dairy-free coconut yogurt, but if you eat dairy, plain Greek yogurt is a fine substitute.
• Boiled Water – This helps create the perfect consistency for your batter. It should be water that has been boiled and then allowed to cool for 1-2 minutes. For a deeper chocolate flavor with a hint of coffee, you can swap half of the boiled water for warm espresso.
• Light Olive Oil – This adds moisture and richness to the cake, contributing to its tender crumb. Any low-flavor oil, such as canola oil, is also a good alternative.
• Vanilla Extract – This enhances the overall flavor of the cake, adding a warm and inviting aroma.
• Walnuts – These are used as a topping, adding a pleasant crunch and nutty flavor. You can swap them for chopped pecans, hazelnuts, or omit them entirely if you don’t like nuts.
• Dark Chocolate – This adds pockets of rich, melted chocolate to the top of your cake. You can use a 50%, 70%, or even 85% dark chocolate bar, depending on your preferred sweetness level.

How to Make Chocolate Pear Cake

This recipe is surprisingly simple to make. Here’s how in just a few pictures.

Slice the pears into small portions.

Chop the walnuts and the dark chocolate bars in small chunks.

Coat the pears with a flour and sugar mixture.

Combine the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Transfer the batter to a springform pan, add the sliced pears, and the chopped walnuts and chocolate.

Bake the cake for 55-65 minutes on the middle rack of the oven at 350°F (180°C).

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips for a perfect pear cake.

• Enhance Chocolate Flavor – To boost the chocolate flavors in your cake, swap some of the boiled water for warm espresso. This also introduces a subtle coffee flavor that pairs incredibly well with both chocolate and pears.
• Pear Choice – Choose firm pears like Beurré Bosc that are not overly ripe. This helps them maintain their shape and texture beautifully as they bake on top of the cake.
• No Soggy Cake – If using canned pear slices, it’s crucial to drain them thoroughly and then firmly pat them dry between two thick pieces of absorbent paper. Excess juice will make your cake batter too moist, resulting in a dense and gummy crumb.
• Customize Toppings – Feel free to change up the nuts for the topping. Instead of walnuts, you can use pecans, hazelnuts, or even toasted shredded coconut to create different textures and flavor profiles for your cake.
• Prevent Sinking Pears – The step of tossing the pear slices in a bit of flour and sugar is important. This light coating helps them adhere to the top of the batter and prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
• Avoid Over-Browning – If you notice the top of your cake browning too quickly during baking, loosely cover the springform pan with a piece of foil after about 30 minutes. This will prevent burning while allowing the cake to finish baking through.
• Test for Doneness Carefully – When inserting a long toothpick into the center of the cake, look for just a few moist crumbs. Be careful not to mistake melted chocolate sticking to the toothpick for unbaked cake batter.
• Cool Patiently – After baking, allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edges before gently releasing the springform. Transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This allows the cake to fully set and prevents it from crumbling.

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

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