Pear & Walnut Cake with Honey Buttercream
This Pear & Walnut Cake with Honey Buttercream is incredibly moist and packed with flavor. The perfect way to kick off the Fall season.
- Prep time
- 2 hr
- Cook time
- 55 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 3 cup water
- 1 cup honey
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 pears (small, peeled)
- 2+1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1+1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (toasted)
- 2 cup shredded pears (approx. 2 pears, peeled, cored, and coarse shredded)
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1+1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup honey
- poached pears (optional)
- chopped walnuts (toasted)
Instructions
- 1
**NOTE** Do a day in advance.
- 2
Place honey, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon into a medium pot (big enough to hold the pears so they will be covered). Bring to a boil over med-high.
- 3
Add pears and simmer over medium until tender, turning occasionally (approx 20-30 mins depending on how firm your pears are - insert a sharp knife to test). Do not overcook!
- 4
Gently remove pears with a slotted spoon and place them into a medium bowl, cover with the honey syrup (so pears will be covered). Cool completely then place in the fridge to chill overnight.
- 5
The next day, if desired, place the honey syrup into a medium pot and simmer over medium heat (10-15mins) to reduce. You can drizzle this over the pears or over the cut slices of cake. *
- 6
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8" cake rounds and line with parchment.
- 7
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- 8
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
- 9
Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
- 10
Gently fold in walnuts and shredded pears. Spread evenly between the two pans.
- 11
Bake for 50-55mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- 12
Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack.
- 13
Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.**
- 14
Place bowl over a double boiler on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins). Or registers 160F on a candy thermometer.
- 15
Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
- 16
Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.***
- 17
Add honey and whip until smooth.
- 18
Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with approximately 1 cup of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layer and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
- 19
Frost the top and sides of the cake in a rustic manner. If desired, add toasted walnuts along the bottom and top, and place poached pears on top. Secure pears in place with toothpicks and drizzle with poaching syrup.