As the days grow colder, I start craving desserts that feel warm, comforting, and deeply cozy. It has already snowed here, and it is only October, so the oven has been calling my name more than usual. I still love making raw cakes, but sometimes nothing compares to the aroma of a softly spiced cake baking in the kitchen. This gluten-free pear cake with caramel sauce is exactly that kind of dessert: simple, fragrant, moist, and perfect for chilly weather.
The idea for this cake began with one very beautiful pear. I do enjoy pears, but they are not always the first fruit I reach for when shopping. This one, however, was impossible to ignore. It had such a sculptural shape, with lovely green and teal tones and a little leaf still attached to the stem. It looked too pretty to leave behind, so it came home with me.
Once I got it home, I could not bring myself to cut into it right away. Sometimes colors, textures, and shapes can be so inspiring that they become part of the creative process before they ever become part of a recipe. That pear sat in the fridge for a while, quietly waiting, until I finally decided that a cozy baked pear cake would be the right way to use the fruit that had inspired me.
This pear cake turned out beautifully tender, warmly spiced, and naturally sweetened. Before long, it also ended up covered in caramel sauce, which made it even more of a cold-weather treat. It is sweet, so if you prefer desserts that are less rich, you may want to drizzle the caramel lightly or serve it on the side. The cake itself is moist and flavorful, while the sauce adds a smooth, date-sweetened caramel finish.
For the flour base, I used gluten-free quick oats. They make this recipe quick and easy, and when blended with tapioca starch, they create a soft cake texture without the need for wheat flour. The result is a gluten-free pear cake that is moist rather than dry, with a pleasant crumb and plenty of gentle spice. If you cannot eat oats, use a trusted oat-free gluten-free cake base and fold in the chopped pear in place of other fruit.
This recipe is also oil-free. I often avoid adding oil to baked goods when it is not needed, although it can help keep cakes moist. In this case, the applesauce, pear, and liquid sweetener provide enough softness on their own. The cake stayed pleasantly moist for days. The caramel sauce includes cashew butter, which gives it a creamy texture, but there is also a simpler alternative in the notes if you want a lighter version.
This is a small cake, baked in a 6-cup bundt pan. Smaller cakes are practical when you enjoy baking often but do not want a large dessert taking over the fridge. A small bundt still looks elegant and makes a lovely dessert for a small gathering or several servings throughout the week. If you prefer a larger cake, double the ingredients and bake a little longer, checking the center with a skewer until it comes out dry. You can also bake the batter in another small cake pan instead of using a bundt pan.
Serve this gluten-free vegan pear cake warm or chilled, with the caramel sauce poured over the top or offered separately. It is dairy-free, egg-free, refined sugar-free, and oil-free, making it a comforting dessert for many different dietary needs without sacrificing flavor.
Pear Cake with a Caramel Sauce
A moist gluten-free pear cake made without dairy, eggs, refined sugar, or oil, finished with a creamy vegan caramel sauce.
- Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 small bundt cake, about 8 servings
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1½ cups gluten-free quick oats
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- ¾ cup applesauce
- ¾ cup maple syrup, agave, coconut nectar, brown rice syrup, or a similar liquid sweetener
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp espresso powder, optional
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Spices: 1½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ⅛ tsp cloves, and ⅛ tsp allspice
- Dash of salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 pear, chopped
Caramel Sauce:
- ½ cup soft pitted dates, preferably medjool for the smoothest texture
- 2 tbsp cashew butter, or coconut butter for a nut-free version
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk, at room temperature
- Dash of salt
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp espresso powder, optional; add more vanilla if omitting
- 1 tsp carob powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 6-cup bundt pan and set it aside. Grease it if needed, or use a reliable non-stick pan.
- Place the oats and tapioca starch in a food processor and process until they form a flour-like mixture. Add all remaining cake ingredients except the chopped pear, then process until the batter is smooth. Add the pear and pulse a few times, just until it is folded into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out dry. Place the cake on a cooling rack and let it cool completely. When warm from the oven, it may seem very moist and spongy, so cooling is recommended before slicing.
- While the cake bakes, make the caramel sauce. Add all caramel ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Add a little more liquid if you prefer a thinner sauce. Serve the pear cake warm or chilled, topped with the caramel sauce.
Notes
Alternative caramel sauce ingredients:
- ½ cup soft pitted dates, preferably medjool
- ⅓ cup water or non-dairy milk, plus more as needed for your preferred consistency
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Dash of salt
- 1 tsp carob powder
- ½ tsp espresso powder, optional
Blend all alternative sauce ingredients until smooth, adjusting the liquid as needed.