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–+ servings
Cranberry pear cake with cream cheese frosting

Cranberry Pear Cake Recipe (video)

1 hour 30 minutes prep + 40 minutes 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