Chocolate Pear Cake

Apparently I’m in my “snack cake” era. So get ready, I’ve got some great ones coming your way…and we’ll kick it off with this interesting and delicious chocolate pear cake.

What is a snack cake (or snacking cake)?? I don’t know if there’s a real definition, but at its heart it’s a smaller, simpler cake made with fairly basic ingredients (usually stuff you’d have on hand).

They’re usually not frosted (though might have a glaze or sprinkle of powdered sugar), they’re not flashy, and they make a perfect snack mid-afternoon when you’re hankering for a treat.

Basically, a snacking cake isn’t really an after-meal dessert you’d serve to company, but more like something you’d pull out for a coffee break with a friend.

This simple chocolate pear snack cake is the definition of unprepossessing. It doesn’t look like much. And I honestly wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it taste-wise when it was fresh and still warm. I was like…it’s good I think? But something wasn’t quite right.

Then I snagged another piece after it fully cooled and set, and was like WHOA. Turns out the “something” that wasn’t quite right is that this cake needs to be totally cool. It’s perfect the next day, in fact. And I proceeded to shove like, half of it in my face over the next few hours.

How to make a simple chocolate pear snack cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch spring-form or loose-bottom cake pan. Set aside. I chose not to peel my pears, as they were very ripe and quite thin-skinned, but you can peel yours if desired. Remove the core and dice into small pieces. Chop your chocolate as well and set aside.

I’d recommend using your stand mixer (I didn’t and it was more whisking than I prefer). Whisk together the granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and cocoa powder for several minutes (this emulsifies and aerates).

Stir in the vanilla and almond extract, then gently stir in the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and all-purpose flour (use gentle pulses on your mixer). Add the milk as well and mix until it’s just incorporated.

Fold in the cubed pear and chopped chocolate, then pour the batter into the pan.

Sprinkle with raw sugar and top with chocolate shavings.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and remove from the pan. Allow to cool fully before serving.

Once cool, this simple snack cake should last a few days on the counter, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

It’s sublime at room temperature with a cup of coffee and a few minutes of peace and quiet.

Adapted from Pastry Affair

Other snack cakes you’ll love:

• Roasted Apricot Olive Oil Cake with a Hint of Rosemary
• Easy Cranberry Snack Cake (a.k.a. My Platonic Ideal for a Cake)
• Sweet Corn Cake with Tart Lemon Glaze
• Coffee, Chocolate & Hazelnut Pound Cake
• Yogurt & Honey Olive Oil Cake with Fresh Lemon & Thyme
• Fresh Apple Cake with Honey Glaze
• Moist, Bittersweet Dark Chocolate Loaf Cake

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