finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

  • Recipes By Type
    • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Goodies
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes & Veggies
    • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
    • Snacks
    • Full Recipe Index
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
    • Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist
  • Whatcha Need??
    • Foods I’m Obsessed With
    • 30 Minutes or Less…for the Time-Challenged Cook
    • What Bread To Make (Based on Your Time)
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Super Healthy
    • Cooking for One
    • Soup
    • Unleavened Bread Recipes
  • About Me & More
    • Get In Touch!
    • How-Tos
    • Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With
    • Food and Travel—Two of My Favorite Things
    • Bunion Surgery Recovery Tips
    • Tips for Liver Detox / Gut Health Protocol

Pear Hazelnut Cake With Rosemary Honey Glaze

November 16, 2019

Sometimes the best recipes are the ones where you take something you already love, and make it EVEN BETTER.  I’ve been in love with my delicious apple cake with honey glaze for years.  Dense, moist, chock full o’spiced apples and finely-chopped walnuts, it’s a work of art.  And then I took it up a level by swapping out the apples for pears (one of my favorite fruits), resulting in this pear cake.

But then after a while, something got stuck in my mind and I started to think…how would this taste with hazelnuts?  They have such a sweet, toasty flavor that seemed it would pair nicely with the pears.  And I’d just made some rosemary simple syrup for a cocktail recipe and decided to throw some of that into the glaze.

Pear Hazelnut Cake with Rosemary Honey Glaze - a perfect cake for fall and winter!

I was totally in love with the flavor combo and the texture that the changes produced!  If you’re in the mood for something deliciously hearty and fall-like, this is your guy!

Make the honey glaze first, even a few hours ahead if you want.  Whisk the honey and milk (and rosemary syrup) into the powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside, it will thicken up as it sets.

The rosemary simple syrup really adds something, and is SO easy to make.  You can see how here, it only takes 5 minutes!

rosemary honey glaze for your pear hazelnut cake

Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Lightly grease or spray a 9×13 pan.  In a medium bowl, mix together the diced pears, walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon, and set aside.

mixed pears and hazelnuts for the cake

Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together.  Add in 2 cups of the flour, the baking soda, and salt, and pulse to combine.  Then add the other cup of flour and mix until totally combined (it will probably be super thick).

Finally, fold in the pear mixture.  If your pears are super juicy then this will make the batter kind of normal, otherwise your batter will still be very thick (which is normal for this recipe).

pear hazelnut cake with rosemary honey glaze - thick batter

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

pear hazelnut cake - baked

Immediately after removing from the oven, poke holes all over the cake with a toothpick, then drizzle the glaze over it.  You can eat it right away, but I’d let the glaze set up a little if you can.

Delicious pear hazelnut cake with rosemary honey glaze - perfect fall cake!

The cake can be wrapped tightly and stored for 3 to 5 days.  It’s best leftover when warmed up for about 10 seconds in the microwave.  I love that this pear hazelnut cake is a slightly special seasonal take on my beloved apple walnut cake!

Other hearty (and not-too-sweet) cake recipes you’ll love:

  • Yogurt & Honey Olive Oil Cake with Fresh Lemon & Thyme
  • Banana Cake with Caramel Frosting
  • Almond Cake with Roasted Fruit Compote
  • Smitten Kitchen’s Bittersweet Pear and Chocolate Cake

Pear Hazelnut Cake with Rosemary Honey Glaze

for the cake:

  • 3 cups of diced pears (any kind is fine; ripe & juicy is better)
  • 1 cup of lightly toasted, finely-chopped hazelnuts
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon of almond extract
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom
  • 3 cups of flour (I use white whole wheat flour)
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups of sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups of vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs (room temperature if possible)

for the glaze:

  • 1 cup of powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of honey
  • 2 tablespoons of milk
  • 1 teaspoon of rosemary simple syrup (seriously takes like 5 minutes!)

Make the honey glaze first, even a few hours ahead if you want.  Whisk the honey and milk into the powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside, it will thicken up as it sets.

Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Lightly grease or spray a 9×13 pan.  In a medium bowl, mix together the diced pears, walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon, and set aside.

Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together.  Add in 2 cups of the flour, the baking soda, and salt, and pulse to combine.  Then add the other cup of flour and mix until totally combined (it will probably be super thick).  Finally, fold in the pear mixture.  If your pears are super juicy then this will make the batter kind of normal, otherwise your batter will still be very thick (which is normal for this recipe).

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately after removing from the oven, poke holes all over the cake with a toothpick, then drizzle the glaze over it.  You can eat it right away, but I’d let the glaze set up a little if you can.  The cake can be wrapped tightly and stored for 3 to 5 days.  It’s best leftover when warmed up for about 10 seconds in the microwave.

Pin for later!

Pear Hazelnut Cake with Rosemary Honey Glaze - Pinterest overlay

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Desserts

« 15+ Amazing Holiday Dessert Recipes
Almond Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

Follow Along!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent IG Adventures!

It's taken me a long time to find the perfect clas It's taken me a long time to find the perfect classic shortbread recipe, but after a few tiny tweaks, this one is a winner! And even better?? I can whip the dough up in the food processor (or stand mixer, if you prefer) in like 5 minutes.

To get the full recipe, tap the link in my IG bio & click on this picture!
#shortbread #shortbreadcookies #bakingfromscratch #shortbreadbiscuits
Anyone who knows me know that travel + pastries is Anyone who knows me know that travel + pastries is one of my favorite combos. So when I was in Finland a couple months ago, I obvs couldn't resist eating an insane amount of their traditional cinnamon buns (called korvapuusti, or "little ear buns"). 

And a few days after I got home, I needed some comfort food, so decided to recreate them for myself...these Finnish cinnamon rolls are heavily spiced with cardamom, chewier and denser, and super easy to make! 

Tap the link in my IG bio (@onegirlwholeworld) & click on this photo to get the whole recipe & shaping technique!
#korvapuusti #finnishfood #cinnamonbuns #visitfinland
I am OBSESSED with these double chocolate peanut b I am OBSESSED with these double chocolate peanut butter brownies. They are a total crowdpleaser, and can even be made gluten-free if desired!

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the full recipe...
#chocolatepeanutbutter #brownierecipe #peanutbutter #chocaholic
I've got a weird & delightful one comin' at ya tod I've got a weird & delightful one comin' at ya today. Some of you may think I'm crazy. But this citrus cardamom coffee spritzer is refreshing & unique, a fascinating twist on an iced cardamom coffee. 

Plus, I've got an extra oleato (shaken with olive oil) version...get the recipe by tapping on the link in my IG bio & choosing this photo! 

#cardamom #icedcoffee #spritzer #citrusrecipes
If you're looking for a unique drink that practica If you're looking for a unique drink that practically shouts "SPRING!", this lemon curd gin cocktail 🍋 has you covered...it's a twist on a classic gin sour (or like a gin sour and a flip cocktail had a baby), and is the perfect combo of bright, creamy, tart, and sweet! It's also a great way to use up leftover lemon curd from your Easter or Passover baking...

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#lemoncurd #springcocktails #gincocktails #cocktailrecipes
These delicious savory rosemary parmesan shortbrea These delicious savory rosemary parmesan shortbreads are so pretty & spring-y...a great appetizer option any time of year, including the Days of Unleaved Bread, wedding or baby showers, or Mother’s Day brunch!

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! 
#shortbread #unleavenedbread #appetizers #bakingfromscratch
A silky & tart lime curd that's perfect for spring A silky & tart lime curd that's perfect for spring...and only takes 10 minutes to make! Pile it on pavlova, slather it on crepes, or just dip shortbread cookies in it (like I did last week). 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo get the recipe!
#limecurd #limerecipes #limelove #citrusrecipes
As someone who's never been the biggest fan of sto As someone who's never been the biggest fan of storebought hummus, I was stoked to find what I believe is the BEST homemade hummus recipe...with an easy extra step that's a great hack for getting it extra creamy! 

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#hummus #hummusrecipe #kitchenhacks
While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in o While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in one last winter cocktail...here's some Sage Advice! It's a winter-y version of a whiskey sour bringing both cinnamon and sage, and then skirting the line of daiquiri with the substitution of lime juice for the traditional lemon. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#cocktailrecipe #bourbon #bourboncocktails #whiskeysour
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Ganache & Peanut Butter Frosting

Slightly-Sweet Unleavened Bread

Lemon Curd Cocktail: A Fun Twist on a Gin Sour

Baked Ziti with Summer Veggies & Chicken Sausage

Easy Spiced Pear Simple Syrup

Recent Posts

  • The Absolute Best, Easiest Classic Shortbread (Pla…
  • Traditional Finnish Cinnamon Buns (Korvapuusti)
  • Buckeye Brownies a.k.a. Layered Peanut Butter Brow…

Categories

  • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Breakfast Goodies
  • Cooking for One
  • Desserts
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Eating Out
  • Family Secret Recipes
  • Food-Related Miscellany
  • Foods I'm Obsessed With
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Go-To Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • Kitchen Gear
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Experimentation
  • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
  • Side Dishes & Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Super Healthy
  • Travel and Food
  • Uncategorized

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

Copyright & Terms of Use

Copyright 2023 Finding Time For Cooking

17 shares