Cranberry Pear Cake Recipe (video)

The most delicious fruit cake for fall! My pear cranberry cake is filled with diced pears, dried cranberries and full of warming spices! It’s frosted with a delicious cream cheese frosting! I garnished the top with caramel sauce and more dried cranberries! You’ll love everything about this fall pear cake! If you’re planning or hosting this year’s Thanksgiving menu, add this to the list.

My Pear Cranberry Cake Video Tutorial!

Watch my YouTube video for step-by-step instructions and all the details for making this pear cranberry cake. Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!

Ingredients for Pear Cake Recipe

Here are the main ingredients you’ll need for this cake recipe:

• Cranberries: use fresh or dried cranberries for the cake layers.
• Pears: I recommend using firm and sweet pears, such as Bartlett pears for this recipe.
• Whole Milk: for making the cake layers. 
• Egg Whites: use 6 egg whites or 4 whole eggs for the cake batter.
• Cinnamon & Nutmeg: these spices are great for adding fall flavor!
• Cream Cheese: for making the cream cheese frosting. Soften the cheese at room temperature for about 1 hour prior to using.
• Confectioner’s sugar: for making the frosting.

How to Make Pear Cranberry Cake

Here’s how to put together this incredible fall cake!

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2, 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease sides of pan; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Then add the vanilla and egg whites and continue beating the mixture until light and fluffy. Pour in the milk and beat until well incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour into the batter in small batches, mixing the batter just until the flour is incorporated. Fold in the diced pears and cranberries.
3. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are set and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.
4. While the cake is cooling, prepare a batch of my cream cheese frosting. If desired, make a batch of my caramel sauce, too. 
5. To assemble the cake, spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting between the layers, on the sides and on the top. Use a flat spatula to spread the frosting evenly on the sides. Garnish with caramel sauce, dried cranberries and caramel pieces. Refrigerate cake to allow the frosting to set. Remove cake 30 minutes prior to serving to allow the frosting to soften slightly.

Easy, Homemade Caramel Sauce

For garnishing the cake, I added some caramel sauce, caramel bits and more dried cranberries! Check out my ‘Caramel Sauce’ recipe for the best homemade caramel sauce! Feel free to garnish the cake with more pears as well!

Cream Cheese Frosting

You’ll love the cream frosting I use for the cranberry cake! It’s made with just a few ingredients: cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla and sugar! If you want a richer frosting, make sure to check out my ‘Cream Cheese Frosting’ recipe from my ‘Back to Cake Basics’ series. I have a separate, in-depth tutorial!

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More Recipes!

• Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Cake – this decadent pumpkin cake is seriously delicious, with salted caramel buttercream!
• Dulce De Leche Cake – the ultimate caramel cake with caramel cake layers, caramel filling and caramel frosting!
• No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake – seriously, the best pumpkin cheesecake recipe! Super light and fluffy!
• Maple Apple Pie Cake – delicate maple cake filled with apple pie filling!

Print

Cranberry Pear Cake Recipe (video)

1 hour hr 30 minutes mins prep + 40 minutes mins cook

16 servings

Fruity cranberry and pear cake for fall holidays, with cinnamon and nutmeg and a cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

• 3/4 cup butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
• 6 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 medium Bartlett pears, diced

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

For Pear Cranberry Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2, 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease sides of pan; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Then add the vanilla and egg whites and continue beating the mixture until light and fluffy. Pour in the milk and beat until well incorporated. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour into the batter in small batches, mixing the batter just until the flour is incorporated. Fold in the diced pears and cranberries.
• Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are set and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Once cake layers have cooled, prepare the frosting. Whisk the softened cream cheese with the heavy cream until light and creamy. about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and gradually add the confectioner's sugar until the frosting is thick and smooth. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes. If frosting is too thin, refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to thicken.

Assembling the Cake:

• To assemble the cake, spread a generous amount of frosting between the layers, on the sides and on the top. Use a flat spatula to spread the frosting evenly on the sides. Garnish with caramel sauce, dried cranberries and caramel pieces. Refrigerate cake to allow the frosting to set. Remove cake 30 minutes prior to serving to allow the frosting to soften slightly.

Nutrition

Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 328mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 529IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg