This chocolate pear cake is a delicious amped up chocolate cake mix recipe with a chocolate fudge filling and a nutty crumble topping. It’s so good, and so easy to make, with unique and delicious flavors!
Jump to:
- Why make this chocolate pear cake?
- Ingredients you need for a pear and chocolate cake:
- How to make this easy chocolate cake with pears:
- What to serve pear chocolate cake with?
- Storing leftover cake:
- Recipe tips and tricks:
- Recipe FAQs:
- If you liked this cake recipe, you might like:
- Chocolate Pear Cake
Why make this chocolate pear cake?
This is a grand prize winning recipe from the Pillsbury bake off, that I barely adapted. You know it’s good when it won the most prestigious prize of the contest!
It’s an amped up chocolate cake mix recipe so the base is really simple and comes together in no time.
The combination of pear and chocolate make for a delicious cake. The pear adds a lot of moisture to the actual cake, and the crunchy nuts and crumble offset that soft cake.
My favorite part of this cake recipe is the chocolate fudge filling which gives delicious pockets of melted gooey chocolate, so you get even more added texture.
Ingredients you need for a pear and chocolate cake:
For the filling: semi sweet chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk
For the cake:
Cake mix: either dark chocolate cake mix or devils food cake
Cinnamon: adds such a great flavor to enhance the chocolate. It makes for a delicious chocolate cinnamon torte!
Oil: the oil is used for the crumb topping- the actual cake is moistened with only pears.
Canned pears: peeled slice or whole pears drained, that you then puree into a smooth paste and add to the cake mix.
Eggs: room temperature
Macadamia nuts: you can also substitute pecan nuts, walnuts, or omit the nuts all together!
Water: A little splash of water to moisten the remaining cake mix into a crumb topping.
How to make this easy chocolate cake with pears:
- Make the filling by stirring together chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk over low heat until melted and combined, then set chocolate mixture aside.
- Mix together cake mix, cinnamon and oil on low speed for about 30 seconds until crumbly.
- Puree the pears in a food processor until smooth.
- Combine 2 1/2 cups of the cake mix mixture, pureed pears and eggs. Beat at low speed until moistened, then increase speed to medium and beat for another 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly in a lightly greased pan.
- Dollop the filling evenly over the cake batter.
- Stir the remaining crumb mixture with the water and nuts, then sprinkle this on top of the filling.
- Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and middle springs back to the touch.
What to serve pear chocolate cake with?
This is delicious served with salted caramel sauce, either store bought or homemade, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
It’s also delicious served just as is!
Storing leftover cake:
Leftover cake can be stored in a cool place tightly covered for up to 5 days.
You can also tightly wrap and store the cake in the freezer for up to 2 months, either whole, or sliced up.
Recipe tips and tricks:
- Make sure you drain the pears well, then puree them really smoothly so that no extra moisture is added, and so that the cake doesn’t get a grainy texture.
- When you melt the chocolate chips and condensed milk together, do it over low heat so that the chocolate doesn’t end up burning.
- Don’t overbake, so that the cake remains moist. The top will spring back slightly when pressed down in the center, and the cake will pull away from the sides of the pan. If you insert a toothpick in the center it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, but if you hit a pool of chocolate filling it’ll look deceptively underdone.
Recipe FAQs:
Use sliced or canned pears in light syrup. You’ll drain these before adding them to the recipe.
Yes, you can tightly wrap the whole cake or individual slices, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw for a few hours before serving.
Since this is a cake mix based cake, I think it would be difficult to make this gluten free. You could try making it with a gluten free cake mix, but I haven’t tried it personally so can’t guarantee the results.
If you liked this cake recipe, you might like:
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Chocolate Pear Cake
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
Fililng ingredients:
- 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the cake:
- 1 box dark chocolate cake mix
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 can pears 15 oz (400g)
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup macadamia nuts
- 2 teaspoon water
Instructions
For the filling ingredients:
- Heat oven to 350°F (180C). Spray a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray, or lightly grease with butter and flour.
- In a small saucepan, combine filling ingredients; cook over medium-low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
For the cake:
- In large bowl, combine the cake mix, cinnamon and oil. Blend at low speed for 30 seconds or until dry and crumbly.
- Puree the pears until smooth in a food processor or blender.
- In a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the cake mix mixture, pureed pears and eggs. Beat at low speed until moistened, then increase speed to medium and beat for another 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Drop the chocolate fudge filling by spoonfuls over batter. Stir nuts and water into the remaining cake mix mixture. Sprinkle over filling.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 10 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Cool 1 1/2 hours or until completely cooled.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you drain the pears well, then puree them really smoothly so that no extra moisture is added, and so that the cake doesn’t get a grainy texture.
- When you melt the chocolate chips and condensed milk together, do it over low heat so that the chocolate doesn’t end up burning.
- Don’t overbake, so that the cake remains moist. The top will spring back slightly when pressed down in the center, and the cake will pull away from the sides of the pan. If you insert a toothpick in the center it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, but if you hit a pool of chocolate filling it’ll look deceptively underdone.
Stephanie says
I never really considered pear and chocolate together but oh my goodness. So much chocolate and the sweetness of the pear is so complimentary. Absolutely amazing.
Farah Abumaizar says
So happy to hear it Stephanie!
Kushigalu says
Drooling over this cake. So delicious. Thanks for sharing
Farah Abumaizar says
It’s my pleasure!!
Helen says
Pears and chocolate are such a great combination! This looks like a delicious cake 🙂
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks so much Helen!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I really love the combination of chocolate and pears and it’s even better with the crunch of the macadamia nuts. So delicious.
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks Amanda! So glad you liked it.
Ieva says
We love chocolate cake with pears, but typically make a flourless version. This was just as delicious though – and A LOT easier! Great texture and beautiful flavours 🙂
Farah Abumaizar says
I’m so happy to hear it! Cake mix for ease is a great hack!