Hazelnut Pear Cake

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 55 min. + cooling

Makes

16 servings

Updated: May. 14, 2022
From the hazelnuts to the yummy browned butter glaze, this dessert is a little different from an everyday pound cake. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Hazelnut Pear Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups whole hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 3 ripe medium pears, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
  • BROWNED BUTTER GLAZE:
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 3 tablespoons 2% milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-3/4 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan. Chop 1 cup hazelnuts. Place remaining hazelnuts in a food processor; pulse until finely ground.
  2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.
  3. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda and ground hazelnuts; add to creamed mixture alternately with ricotta cheese, beating after each addition just until combined. Fold in pears and chopped hazelnuts.
  4. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. For glaze, in a small heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Heat 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring constantly. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in milk, vanilla and enough confectioners' sugar to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.
Editor’s Note: To toast whole hazelnuts, spread hazelnuts in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake in a 350° oven 7-10 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. To remove skins, wrap hazelnuts in a tea towel; rub with towel to loosen skins.
Greasing Fluted (Bundt) Tube Pans
To remove cakes easily, use solid shortening to grease plain and fluted tube pans. 

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 533 calories, 30g fat (13g saturated fat), 104mg cholesterol, 193mg sodium, 62g carbohydrate (42g sugars, 3g fiber), 8g protein.