This pear & almond bundt cake with coconut sugar caramel is moist and delicious. It’s also free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar!
Even though fall has technically been around for the last couple of weeks, it really starts to feel official in October. Earthy colored leaves have begun falling, stores are filled with autumnal decor, and pumpkins & gourds are out in all their glory. Although I haven’t thoroughly gotten over the passing of summer, the return of warm, delicious fall flavors are quickly reviving my love for this season.
Newfound recipes for soups, stews, and spiced desserts fuel my excitement each time I head to the grocery store. I love wandering through the produce section to see what yummy fruits & veggies the new season has brought. I usually pass the colorful row of pears in the produce section and long to bake with them. As much I enjoy this sweet fruit, my family feels the opposite. Apple-y desserts usually trump my pear-filled suggestions three-to-one.
But since I am the one who usually does the baking, I decided to make what I wanted for a change. I figured if my family turns up their noses to this dessert, then that just means more for me. 🙂
I should’ve known no dessert is safe in my house. I guess the aroma of the cake baking and caramel cooking whet their appetite enough for them not to care what fruit was used…I probably could’ve even snuck some veggies in there and they wouldn’t have minded.
I’ll have to remember that for next time. 😉
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Pear & Almond Bundt Cake with Coconut Sugar Caramel
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
A moist and delicious gluten-free bundt cake with warm spices, juicy pears, and topped with a coconut sugar caramel. Free of refined sugars and can be easily adapted to be dairy free as well.
Ingredients
Pear & Almond Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
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- 1 1/2 cups finely ground Almond Flour
(pulse in a food-processor if not finely ground)
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
(optional, but helps cake hold together better)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground Ginger
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (can use dairy-free butter)
- 1 1/3 cup Coconut Sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup milk (I used almond milk, but any milk will do)
- coconut sugar caramel, for drizzling
- 2 cups (about 2–3 large) firm pears, peeled, cored, and chopped (I used red pears. Apples can be used instead)
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(pulse in a food-processor if not finely ground)
(optional, but helps cake hold together better)
Coconut Sugar Caramel:
- 2 tablespoons butter (non-dairy works) or coconut oil
- ½ cup Coconut Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, optional
- 1–2 teaspoons almond milk or canned coconut milk, if needed (to thin the caramel for drizzling)
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a regular sized bundt pan or two smaller bundt pans. Loaf pans will also work. I found my pan at a local antique store. It’s technically a steamed pudding pan similar to this
one on Amazon.
- In a large bowl, blend together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, xanthan gum, and ginger. Set aside.
- Some of my pears had thin skin, so I left the skin on those, but you can peel them all if it’s your preference. Chop pears about the same size for even baking and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until the sugar is well incorporated and mixture is fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until creamy. Mix in vanilla and then add half the flour mixture. Slowly pour in the milk and then add the other half of the flour mixture. Stop and scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything mixes evenly. Stir in pears.
- Pour batter into prepared pans (careful not to over-fill as this cake does rise.)
- Place pans onto a baking sheet and into the preheated oven on the middle rack.
- Bake 50-60 minutes or until cake has risen and center is set. Times will vary depending on the pan used so keep a close eye and try not to over-bake.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan 10-15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Top with caramel and serve. Store leftovers in a sealed container in a cool place for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
one on Amazon.Caramel:
- Place butter/coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of milk into a small sauce pan and place over medium-low heat. Stir often until sugar begins to dissolve and mixture thickens slightly and begins to bubble. Add vanilla extract and salt, stirring well. It should get thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If caramel gets too thick, you can stir in a little more milk. Add only a little because too much milk will make it very liquidy.
- Keep in mind that caramel will thicken as it cools so make this close to the end. If caramel cools and gets too thick, you can place it into the microwave for 5-10 seconds to make it a drizzle-able again.
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: dessert, gluten-free
You may also enjoy these similar recipes:
Chai-Spiced with Fresh Figs and Caramel
Easy Raw Caramel Apples
Chocolate Earl Grey Cake with Lavender Ganache
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gosh you make the most gorgeous cakes Joscelyn!! I love this cake so much! My family prefers traditional desserts too !! :S they do not like cardamom in baked goods! sigh. But I still make them haha. I love your gorgeous caramel too and i think i will be making it soon for a dessert that i have been planning for a while 🙂
Not only does that cake look absolutely delicious but your photos are STUNNING!
La Belle Sirene
This looks so good!
beautiful cake, Joscelyn!
This looks amazing! I’m going to try to play around with the gluten-free flour – I don’t do any grain at all. Maybe cassava flour with a little coconut! Beautiful photos too!
I see that almond flour 😉 YUM! Love your style and presentation, here. XOXO
This looks delicious! I’m sure it would be a total fail if I tried it, but it looks so good in the pictures! Also the directions are very clear. Thanks for sharing!