This cozy pear and ginger cake is soft, sweet, and full of warm spices. The grated pear keeps it moist, and the fresh ginger gives it a lovely kick. It’s perfect for fall or winter, and you can add the caramel sauce on top to make it even more delicious.

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Ingredients Needed:

4 large eggs
2 medium bosc pears, unripe
1-inch knob of fresh ginger
1 cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each of allspice & clove

For the optional caramel sauce:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt

How To Make Pear and Ginger Cake Recipe?

Preheat the oven: set your oven to 175°C and grease or line a 9-inch round cake pan.
Whisk the wet ingredients: in a large bowl, and beat the eggs. Grate in the unripe pears and fresh ginger using a microplane grater—the pear should look soft like applesauce. Add the oil, white sugar, and brown sugar, then whisk everything until smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients: in a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and clove.
Make the batter: add the dry mix into the wet ingredients in two parts, whisking gently until the batter is smooth.
Prepare the cake: pour the batter into your cake pan. Place a few thin pear slices on top for decoration.
Bake: put the pan in the oven and bake for 55–60 minutes. The cake is ready when it turns golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Make the caramel (optional): while the cake bakes, add the sugar and water to a small pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan gently but don’t stir. Once it starts bubbling and the sugar melts, let it cook until it turns light golden. Slowly whisk in the butter a little at a time. Remove from heat, add the cream, and whisk until smooth. Stir in a pinch of salt, then let it cool for 5–10 minutes before pouring over the cake.

Jamie Oliver Pear and Ginger Cake Recipe

Recipe Tips:

Use firm pears, not soft ones: unripe pears are best because they grate easily and won’t turn mushy in the batter. Soft pears can make the cake too wet.
Grate the pears finely: don’t chop them—use a grater or microplane to turn them into a smooth, applesauce-like texture. This helps the cake stay moist and smooth.
Don’t overmix the batter: once you add the flour, mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the cake heavy instead of soft.
Watch the caramel closely: caramel can burn fast, so don’t walk away. Once it starts turning golden, get ready to add the butter right away.
Let the cake cool before slicing: if you cut it while it’s still hot, it might fall apart. Wait until it cools so each slice holds together nicely.

How To Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover pear and ginger cake cool to room temperature. Then, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Let the cake cool completely, then wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Place the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 420 kcal
Total Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 70mg
Sodium: 210mg
Potassium: 180mg
Total Carbohydrate: 52g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 34g
Protein: 5g

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

Jamie Oliver Duck Breast Recipe
Jamie Oliver Vegetable Lasagne Recipe

Jamie Oliver Pear and Ginger Cake Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

Calories

420

kcal

Ingredients

4 large eggs
2 medium bosc pears, unripe
1-inch knob of fresh ginger
1 cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each of allspice & clove
For the optional caramel sauce:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat the oven: set your oven to 175°C and grease or line a 9-inch round cake pan.
Whisk the wet ingredients: in a large bowl, and beat the eggs. Grate in the unripe pears and fresh ginger using a microplane grater—the pear should look soft like applesauce. Add the oil, white sugar, and brown sugar, then whisk everything until smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients: in a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and clove.
Make the batter: add the dry mix into the wet ingredients in two parts, whisking gently until the batter is smooth.
Prepare the cake: pour the batter into your cake pan. Place a few thin pear slices on top for decoration.
Bake: put the pan in the oven and bake for 55–60 minutes. The cake is ready when it turns golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Make the caramel (optional): while the cake bakes, add the sugar and water to a small pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan gently but don’t stir. Once it starts bubbling and the sugar melts, let it cook until it turns light golden. Slowly whisk in the butter a little at a time. Remove from heat, add the cream, and whisk until smooth. Stir in a pinch of salt, then let it cool for 5–10 minutes before pouring over the cake.

Notes

Use firm pears, not soft ones: unripe pears are best because they grate easily and won’t turn mushy in the batter. Soft pears can make the cake too wet.
Grate the pears finely: don’t chop them—use a grater or microplane to turn them into a smooth, applesauce-like texture. This helps the cake stay moist and smooth.
Don’t overmix the batter: once you add the flour, mix just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the cake heavy instead of soft.
Watch the caramel closely: caramel can burn fast, so don’t walk away. Once it starts turning golden, get ready to add the butter right away.
Let the cake cool before slicing: if you cut it while it’s still hot, it might fall apart. Wait until it cools so each slice holds together nicely.