Low Carb Italian Pear Cake

I made this low-carb Italian pear cake with the addition of cranberries at Christmas, but it can made at any time as long as you can find pears. Cranberries add that little holiday feel, but aren’t totally necessary. Since Fall is on the way, this is the perfect cake to open the new season. 

When I took a cooking class in Italy, we made an Italian apple cake. It’s very simple, made with melted butter and slices of apples. This is the Pear version using mostly almond flour with a little bit of added cardamom for that Christmas flavor profile. 

2020 has been one of our most stressful times in many decades. 2021 isn’t looking very bright either. Thanks heavens for cake!

Now it’s 2021 and it’s not much better, as the news about Afghanistan is quite distressing.

One of the hardest things for me has been a diminishing social life. I live in a county that is more free than most. Our gyms and restaurants are open. Yet, it still feels odd when everything is at low capacity or everyone is wearing a mask, making conversation, connection stilted. 

It was sad at Christmas, as many people were unable to carry on their yearly traditions, the fun, the travel, the parties, the things that make short days and the dark cold of December palatable. 

I’m happy we can still bake. It’s not just therapy, it turns the kitchen into amazing heartwarming smells.

I don’t usually bake with too many pears because pears have a lot of sugar. But with one big pear in the cake, it’s still only 5 net carbs.  

I rely on my wonderful recipe that makes 12 muffins. You can bake muffins or a 10 inch cake. If you only have a 9 inch pan, just make a few extra muffins. 

What are the ingredients for a low carb Italian pear Cake?

Almond flour, coconut flour, sour cream, eggs, almond milk,  baking powder, pears, fresh cranberries, cardamom, salt and xanthan gum.  You can switch out the cardamom for more vanilla extract. 

Is this cake gluten free?

Yes, the only flours used are almond and coconut flour. 

Is this cake sugar free?

Pears have a high sugar count at 27 carbs each. However,  one slice of cake is one slice of pear. The sweetener used is Swerve, a powdered erythritol, which does not spike blood sugar. Read more about why I use Swerve here.  

What fat is best for this cake?

I used melted unsalted butter and it was incredible. The cake is moist, tasty and flavorful However, I have formerly used avocado oil in a similar recipe and that works so well too. 

How to know when an almond flour cake is done?

Baking with almond flour and coconut flour is different than baking with wheat flour. It’s not as easy to tell when a cake is done. Your tester can come out clean and the cake is not done. To remedy this I always take the cake’s temperature. It should measure 210 degrees F. in the middle of the cake. I’ll take it out once it reaches 207. 

Tips for Baking

• Use Parchment Paper.
• Don’t over-mix, once you put dry ingredients in.
• Use spices you love. I used cardamom, but you could flavor this cake with cinnamon or maple extract.
• Cut pears with skins on. Use fresh cranberries.
• Cake is done when inside is 210 degrees F. 98 C.

Play Around with this Recipe: Use Apples instead of pears. Use cinnamon instead of cardamom. Use berries instead of cranberries or skip the berries altogether. 

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these from Spinach Tiger: