PEAR CRUMBLE COFFEE CAKE

I made this for two different events in one week. It’s the perfect cake for any occasion, whether that be as a holiday dinner dessert or lazy brunch starter. The crumble on top is delightful, and the chunks of pear make this cake juicy with fruity goodness. It’s a great complement to a cup of coffee, as the title suggests, which means it’s going to be a staple in my recipe book.

Because Joy the Baker is perfect as always, I have no modifications. I used Anjou pears for this recipe, but any variety can be substituted.

Pear Crumble Coffee Cake

From Joy the Baker

Makes an 8×8-inch square pan (or one 8-inch round cake)

Cake:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flours

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 small or 1 ½ medium pears, ripe but still firm, unpeeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks

Crumble:

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated or brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into ¼-inch cubes

To make cake: Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8-inch square. Line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice. Stir in the sugars until well combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently stir to incorporate. Once the dry ingredients are almost fully incorporated, fold in the pears. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

To make crumble: In a small bowl combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter. Use your fingers to break the butter down into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Generously sprinkle topping on top of cake batter.

To assemble: Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cake will last for 3 days, wrapped well and stored in the refrigerator.