Banana Pear Bundt Cake

This Banana Pear Bundt Cake features a blend of warming spices like cinnamon and cloves, carried on a lusciously moist, tender crumb. Combined with a crunchy caramelized walnut topping, this cake is a true autumn and winter delight. Whether served as breakfast bread or as an after-dinner sweet with coffee and homemade ice cream, this Banana Pear Bundt Cake is perfect for any wintery occasion.

Using only affordable, easy-to-find ingredients, like bananas, pears, and ground cinnamon, and requiring no special equipment or complicated baking techniques, this cake couldn’t be easier to make. What’s more, it’s make-ahead friendly, as it keeps beautifully in the fridge for several days. Easy to prepare, and even easier to love, this cake is a must-try for the cold weather.

With the introduction out of the way, read on for a recipe overview, a complete ingredient checklist, and tips for preparing this cake to ensure it comes out perfect every time. Naturally, a printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.

Now, without further introduction, let’s get baking.

What to Expect – Recipe Overview

If you’ve read this far, I’ve probably piqued your interest, but you also probably still have a few questions. You might be wondering what this cake is like in terms of taste and texture. Or maybe you want to know how hard it is to make? Or perhaps what it pairs well with?

For the answer to those questions and more, read on.

Taste and Texture

This Banana Pear Bundt Cake features natural sweetness, courtesy of the ripe pears and bananas, with a moist and tender crumb, and warmth from seasonal spices, such as ginger and cloves. Meanwhile, raisins and walnuts introduce clashing chewy and crunchy textures. We finish the cake with a caramelized walnut topping, which serves to heighten the cake’s sweet and nutty profile. Seriously, I promise this cake is going to be your next favorite autumn and winter delight.

Difficulty Level

Safely beginner-friendly. As far as baking goes, this cake really couldn’t get much easier. The steps outlined in the recipe card below are straightforward and easy to follow, with no complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. So, if you’re new to baking, this cake is a great place to start.

Preparation Process

We start things off easy by mashing the bananas, pears, and wet ingredients together to create the base of the batter. Next, we add in the dry ingredients and mix-ins and mix until combined. Be careful not to overmix at any point during this process. Finally, we pour the batter into a thoroughly greased and floured bundt pan. Yes, this works with other types of cake pans. We let the batter sit in the pan while we quickly prepare the walnut topping and then add it just before baking. Yes, the timing here is important, as outlined in the recipe card below. Finally, we bake the cake for about forty-five minutes and then let the cake cool fully before attempting to remove it from the bundt pan. Again, as far as baking goes, this recipe really couldn’t be much easier.

Pairings

All your autumn favorites. A simple hot coffee would be the ideal pairing in my book. Similarly, whipped cream, homemade ice cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce (or all of the above!) would be delicious. That said, if you're entertaining, or just feeling fancy, consider pairing it with a spiced cider or a glass of sweet dessert wine to highlight the warm, fruity flavors of the cake.

Ingredient Checklist – Everything You’ll Need

Perhaps the best thing about this recipe is that it uses only affordable, simple ingredients that are readily available at your local supermarket. With that in mind, here’s everything you’ll need.

For the Cake:

• Bananas – 3 ripe, cut into pieces
  • Tip: I suggest using overripe bananas, with brown spots, for maximum sweetness and a tender texture, as bananas’ natural sugar levels increase with ripeness, and maximize at the point of ‘overripe.’
  • Substitution: If you only have bananas that are slightly underripe, and don’t feel like buying more, be sure to mash them well and add an extra teaspoon of sugar to the batter to account for the lack of sugar in the bananas.
• Pears – 2 ripe, diced
  • Tip: I suggest using either Bartlett or Anjou pears. These pears are sweet with a soft texture, making them ideal for baking. That said, you’ll want to dice them up evenly to ensure that the cake bakes evenly throughout.
  • Substitution: You can substitute the pears with apples (preferably Fuji or Gala) for a slightly firmer bite.
• Flour – 2 cups
  • Tip: All-purpose flour is the way to go, since bread flour will result in a hard, dense cake, while baking flour will result in a cake that is much too delicate, causing it to fall apart or crumble.
  • Tip 2: Sift. Sift. Sift. Sift the flour before measuring to prevent lumps and to ensure proper amounts.
  • Substitution: Yes, your gluten-free flour alternative of choice will work for this recipe.
• Raisins – 1/2 cup, chopped
  • Tip: We chop the raisins to ensure an even distribution throughout the bread.
  • Tip 2: I advise soaking the raisins in warm water for about five to ten minutes. Do this if the raisins are too dry to comfortably chop. It also helps plump them up a bit. Yes, you can soak them in the spirit of your choice for added flavor.
  • Substitution: Really, the dried fruit is a matter of preference, so feel free to use dried cranberries, apricots, or whatever fruit you prefer.
• Walnuts – 1/2 cup, chopped
  • Tip: Yes, you can add them in raw, but toasting the walnuts will give them a deeper flavor, heightening the ‘warm autumn’ flavor of the cake.
  • Substitution: Any nut, really. My go-to substitutions would probably be pecans or almonds. Again, toast for added warmth.
• Sugar – 1 cup
  • Tip: Plain granulated sugar is all you need.
• Butter – 1/2 cup, softened and diced
  • Tip: Do not attempt to mix hard butter into the batter. Instead, allow the butter to soften (at room temperature) for easier mixing.
  • Substitution: If you ‘must’ use a butter substitute, I would suggest perhaps a half-cup of vegetable oil.
• Salt – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Tip: Plain table salt is what you want to use.
• Baking Soda – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Tip: Remember that baking soda spoils. When baking soda spoils, it ceases acting as a leavening agent. So, ensure it’s fresh for proper leavening.
  • Tip 2: Basically, you want to replace your baking soda if it is older than about six months.
• Baking Powder – 3 teaspoons
  • Tip: As with the baking soda, double-check the baking powder’s expiration date.
• Vanilla Extract – 3 teaspoons
  • Tip: I cannot stress enough that you want to use pure, natural vanilla extract for this particular recipe.
• Eggs – 3
  • Tip: Use room-temperature eggs for a smoother batter.
  • Tip 2: Simply leave the eggs out for about an hour at room temperature to allow them to warm.
• Ginger – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Tip: While you certainly ‘can’ use fresh ginger, for this recipe I recommend using ground ginger or ‘baking ginger.’
  • Note: Ground ginger brings a nice warmth to the cake. By contrast, freshly grated ginger brings a sharper, more astringent flavor, which is really not what we’re aiming for in this particular recipe.
• Cloves – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Tip: A small amount goes a long way, so measure carefully.
• Cinnamon – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Tip: Plain, ground cinnamon is all you need. This is not a recipe where you need to fuss grating your own.

For the Topping:

• Butter – 1 teaspoon
  • Tip: Use unsalted butter for better control over the flavor.
• Walnuts – 1/4 cup, chopped
  • Tip: The walnuts will burn very quickly if left to sit, so stir constantly.
  • Substitution: As above, my go-to substitutes would be pecans or almonds, or a mix of both.
• Sugar – 2 teaspoons
  • Tip: As above, I recommend plain granulated sugar for best results.

Tips for Preparing Banana Pear Bundt Cake

If you’ve made it this far, you’ve likely decided to make this cake. Here are a few tips to help ensure it comes out perfect.

1. Choose Ripe Fruits
   • I cannot stress enough how using overripe bananas really does make a difference. They not only help maximize sweetness but also promises a soft crumb. This means bananas with plenty of brown spots. When it comes to the pairs, while ripeness is important, you also want to be using firmer varieties like Bartlett or Anjou for easy dicing, which in turn helps ensure even cooking.
2. Prepare the Bundt Pan Thoroughly
   • I don’t like crumbled, torn cakes. Not fun. And if this cake crumbles or tears, it will be when removing it from the pan. To help ensure that the cake doesn’t stick to the pan, and in turn doesn’t crumble or tear, be sure to grease the pan thoroughly. Cover every nook and cranny with butter. Once that’s done, dust the pan with flour. This helps to ensure that the cake doesn’t stick to the pan.
3. Mash Bananas and Pears Evenly
   • Evening mashing of the fruit means evening cooking, and even cooking means an evenly texture, moist cake. As such, when mashing the bananas and pears together, be sure that they are mashed thoroughly. No large chunks or pieces should be left behind.
4. Chop Mix-ins Evenly
   • You want to chop up the raisins and walnuts into small, even pieces. Why? So that they are distributed evenly throughout the cake and topping. Yes, I’m harping on even distribution. It’s important.
5. Avoid Overmixing the Batter
   • Overmixing leads to a dry, dense cake because it destroys air bubbles. So, to avoid overmixing, stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until they have combined, and then stop. To reiterate, overmixing destroys air bubbles, and too few air bubbles will make the cake hard, dense, and dry. So, when it comes to mixing, a few small lumps here and there are better than the alternative – overmixing.
6. Prepare the Walnut Topping Last
   • Make the walnut topping just before the cake goes into the oven to keep it fresh and easy to sprinkle. Turn off the heat immediately after the walnuts and sugar coat, as they can burn quickly.
7. Bake in the Center of the Oven
   • Place the bundt pan on the center rack to ensure even baking. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the pan halfway through baking.
8. Use the Toothpick Test
   • Likely the most important trick in baking is the simple toothpick test. Insert a toothpick or skewer into the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out clean or with only a few crumbs, the cake is ready. Avoid overbaking, which can dry out the cake.
9. Cool Completely Before Removing from the Pan
   • Let the cake cool in the pan – yes, in the pan – for at least 15-20 minutes before attempting to remove it. To start the cooling process, run a slim knife gently around the edges to loosen the cake, after that, invert the cake onto a wire rake and allow it to finish cooling.

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And that’s our Banana-Pear Bundt Cake. If you enjoyed today’s recipe, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below. We always love hearing from you!

Happy Baking!

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