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Home » Recipes » dessert

The Best Salted Chocolate Pear Pound Cake

Published: Nov 1, 2019 · Modified: Jun 21, 2024 by Lisa Keys · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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Last Updated on June 21, 2024 by Lisa Keys

Update: My recipe for salted chocolate pear pound cake won the dessert category!

Salted pear chocolate pound cake.
Salted Chocolate Pear Pound Cake

I am taking part in the "USA Pears Blogger Recipe Challenge". It’s holiday time and I am delighted to share my delicious dessert recipe for with you! 

USA pears are at the peak of freshness right now, so I’m simply happy to accept this challenge using this beautiful versatile fruit. The fact that northwest pears come in 10 varieties and work well in both savory and sweet dishes got my creative juices flowing. I personally love Bosc and Anjou pears for baking. 

Bowl of colorful pears.

First up in the Baking category is what I like to call my “bake two share one” recipe. This recipe for The Best Salted Chocolate Pear Pound Cake allows you to indulge yourself as well as a friend. Friendsgiving is a thing. Wrapped and tied with a bow it makes the perfect hostess gift or teacher present. No better way to show your gratitude than with this stunning homemade cake.

Sliced Salted Chocolate Pear Pound Cake with salt and powdered sugar.

I can’t tell you how much I love this gorgeous moist and flavorful cake. Scented with the warmth of cardamom, coffee and a burst of chocolate flavor this cake is filled with chunks of juicy pears and simply dusted with flaked salt and powdered sugar.

Sliced pear with knife on cutting board prepping for salted chocolate pear pound cake.

And here is a tip on how to tell if a pear is ripe. Just press your finger into the neck end of the pear. If the stem moves it’s perfectly ripe, juicy and delicious. For more information check out the USA Pears web site.

Slicing pear on mandolin.
Lining pan with thinly sliced pears.
Baked cake.
thinly slice, line the pan, fill with batter and bake
Salted chocolate pear cake.

Salted Chocolate Pear Pound Cake

Lisa Keys
This is easier than it looks and a real showstopper of a cake. Winner of the USA pear challenge.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course quick breads
Cuisine American
Servings 2 loaves
Calories 275 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 firm ripe USA Pears (2 Bosc pears plus 2 Anjou)
  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 12 tablespoons 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • Flaked finishing salt
  • Powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven 350F. Spray two 8-9 inch x 5-inch loaf pans with baking spray. Line pans with strips of parchment paper and lightly spray paper.
  • Slice the Bosc pears in half lengthwise just off center from the stem. Do not peel. Place the pear, cut-side down, on a mandoline and thinly slice. You will need 6 slices of pear for each pan. (I like to cut 3 slices from each half.) Remove seeds from slices, if needed.
  • Gently press 3 slices of pear along each side of the long side of loaf pan.
  • Peel, core and small dice the Anjou pears. Toss diced pears with 2 tablespoons of flour until coated; set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt; set aside.
  • Stir water and espresso powder together until espresso is dissolved; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes or until well combined. Add eggs; blend well. With mixer at low speed, gradually add half of the dry ingredients. Slowly add coffee until combined. Add remaining dry mixture; blend well scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
  • Fold in diced pears and excess flour.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 65 to 70 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan before turning out on a wire rack to cool. Remove parchment and turn cakes upright.
  • Sprinkle top of cake with flaked salt while cake is still warm. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar just before slicing and serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 265mgPotassium: 167mgFiber: 4gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 304IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
Keyword 30 minutes, cake, chocolate, loaf, pears, showstopper, winning recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 2 votes

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    Recipe Rating





  1. Lou

    November 01, 2019 at 12:04 pm

    Anjou pear is one of my favorite fruits.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      November 01, 2019 at 1:35 pm

      And they are so delicious right now. Trying to get my fill!

      Reply
  2. Marion Hart

    November 01, 2019 at 3:38 pm

    5 stars
    Looks scrumptious!

    Reply
    • Lisa

      November 01, 2019 at 9:34 pm

      I hope you give it a try

      Reply
  3. thegsandwich

    November 04, 2019 at 5:51 am

    5 stars
    This looks delicious. I'm not a baker, but I'm going to try to make it. Thank you for sharing Lisa.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      November 04, 2019 at 7:37 am

      I think you will find this recipe easy to make. Here is the recipe if you would only like to make 1 loaf instead of two.
      Salted Chocolate Pear Pound Cake

      2 firm ripe USA Pears, 1 Bosc pear plus 1 Anjou
      1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
      ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
      ¾ teaspoon baking powder
      ½ teaspoon baking soda
      ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
      ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
      1 cup hot water
      1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
      6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
      1 cup sugar
      1 egg
      Flaked finishing salt
      Powdered sugar

      Heat oven 350F. Spray an 8 x 5-inch loaf pan with baking spray. Line pan with strips of parchment paper and lightly spray paper. Slice the Bosc pear in half lengthwise just off center from the stem. Place the pear, cut-side down, on a mandoline and thinly slice. You will need 8 slices of pear. Remove seeds from slices. Gently press 3 slices of pear into long sides of loaf pan and 1 slice on either end. Peel, core and small dice the Anjou pears measuring 1 cup of pears. Toss diced pears with 1 tablespoon of flour until coated; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt; set aside. Stir water and espresso powder together until espresso is dissolved; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes or until well combined. Add egg; blend well. With mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Slowly add coffee until combined. Add remaining dry mixture; blend well scraping down sides of bowl and beater as needed. Fold in diced pears and excess flour. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 65 to 70 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan before turning out on a wire rack to cool. Remove parchment. Sprinkle top of cake with flaked salt while cake is still warm. Dust with powdered sugar just before slicing and serving. Makes 1 loaf.

      Reply

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