This simple and deliciously moist Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake is a fall inspired dessert that is just perfect for any day of the week.
The earthy flavour of rosemary lends itself well in combination with the sweet pears and honey. There is just a small amount of this woodsy herb…enough to awaken your taste buds to its subtle fragrance.
This Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake Recipe was originally published September 21, 2016 and republished September 28, 2019 with updated photos and content.
Papa’s pear tree stands proudly in his garden and continues to thrive.
Since his passing, one of the things I miss the most besides his absence…is his garden.
The rows upon rows of plump red juicy tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and glossy purple eggplants.
There were also fig trees with their luscious sweet fruits and a wonderful variety of lettuces and fine herbs.
It was a wonderfully tended garden!
So when my sister gave me loads of these ripe pears from my papa’s tree, I immediately realized that I had more then we could possible consume in a week.I then came across this Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake from the Bake from scratch magazine. I was immediately intrigued as I had never baked with rosemary before.
We start with a buttery pear compote infused with the chopped rosemary.
The lovely aromatic compote is then cooled and stirred into the cake batter and baked till golden brown in colour.
A Fabulous Fall Dessert
This bundt cake is simple and pretty with a slightly dense texture. And…oh…so moist!
You’ll find that it actually tastes better the next day which makes it a perfect make ahead cake.
That’s so worth considering when planning a large family gathering as this frees up much needed oven space.
And then all that’s needed before serving is a light or generous dusting of powdered sugar for a little extra love and you’ll have a fabulous Fall dessert!
How to make a pear and rosemary compote
- In a medium sized sauce pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
- Add in the chopped pear, rosemary and cook for a few minutes until the pears are soft, while stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pear and rosemary mixture from the heat and let it cool completely.
- It’s so simple yet so flavourful!
How to Remove a Bundt Cake From Its Pan
- As a good practice always grease and flour your bundt pans and I’ve got some great tips on how to prep your Bundt pans for baking on my Ciambella, Italian Lemon Sponge Cake recipe.
- Once your cake is baked, allow it to cool in its pan while resting on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. If you let it sit too long in the pan, it will start to stick from the dampness as its cooling off.
- Before inverting the cake, loosen the edges with a butter knife or thin rubber spatula if needed.
- Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and gently tap around the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the cake further.
- Lift the pan off the cake and allow the cake to cool completely before dusting with the powdered sugar.
If you love herbs in sweet baked goods then this Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake is definitely for you!
Other Fabulous Fall Inspired Desserts You’ll Love:
- Chocolate and Pear Crostata
- Olive Oil Apple Cake
- Apple Rose Cake
- Rustic Italian Apple Cake
- Italian Plum Almond Streusel Cake
Happy baking everyone!
This Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake Recipe was originally published September 21, 2016 and republished September 28, 2019 with updated photos and content.
Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened and divided
- 2 cups peeled and chopped pear
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt I used fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup honey
- Icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 10 cup Bundt pan and set aside.
- In a medium sized sauce pot, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
- Add in the chopped pear, rosemary and cook for a few minutes till the pears are soft, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pear and rosemary mixture from the heat and let it cool completely.
- In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed till fluffy. About 4 minutes.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and the salt.
- In another smaller bowl combine the milk and honey together and whisk well.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk mixture. Start and end with flour mixture, beating just until combined.
- Stir in the pear and rosemary mixture.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 1 hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Slightly loosen the cake around the edges with a knife or offset spatula and invert onto a wire rack.
- Let the cake cool completely and dust with icing sugar just before serving.
Notes