Invisible Pear Cake
on Sep 24, 2025
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If you fell hard for the viral Invisible Apple Cake, get ready to swipe right 📲! Just like its forbearer, my Invisible Pear Cake is made with paper-thin slices of fruit held together by a creamy custard-like batter. The taste is light and only slightly sweet, but the texture is what makes this recipe truly special. Layer upon layer of pears 🍐 practically disappears into a lemon and almond infused batter for a flavor that feels comforting in ways you can’t explain. (It also low key looks like geologic strata, only prettier 😆.) And since the cake is mostly made of fruit, it’s low in calories and super-high in Vitamin A. I call that a win-win 😉.
Key Takeaways
- Invisible Pear Cake features thin layers of pears enveloped in a creamy custard-like batter, creating a unique texture.
- The cake is full of bright flavors from lemon zest and almond extract, making it light and slightly sweet.
- You can freeze Invisible Pear Cake. Following a few specific tips will maintain its texture and quality.
- Substitutions are possible: use apples instead of pears, or swap in gluten-free flour for an allergen-friendly version.
- This cake pairs well with dusted powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, or as a light dessert after rich meals.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Invisible Pear Cake
Thin layers of pears create a beautiful mosaic held together by creamy custard in this Invisible Pear Cake 🍐. Sugar granules infused with lemon zest 🍋 give the batter extra brightness and deep citrusy flavor. Almond extract adds nutty, floral notes to the cake – leave it out and you’ll fell like something’s missing 😉. When baked, the layers fuse into one delicate block creating a unique texture that feels truly special. The end result? A cake that melts in your mouth, with a slight bite that reminds you it was made with fresh pears. It’s light and not too sweet, making it equally perfect for serving after a rich meal or for breakfast with a warm cup of coffee ☕.
Ingredients
🍐 Pears: Paper thin layers of pears form the unique texture of the cake while also giving it a natural sweetness. I used Bartlett pears for this recipe, but any variety will work.
🍋 Sugar and Lemon zest: For this Invisible Pear Cake recipe, I infused granulated sugar with lemon zest to add sweetness and deep citrus flavor into the batter.
🥚 Eggs: I use two large eggs to create a custard-like batter that melds into the pears, making them “invisible.”
🥛 Milk: Adds richness and moisture to the batter.
🥑 Avocado oil: This healthy fat makes the cake tender and creamy.
🌰 Almond extract: Levels up the flavor profile with nutty, floral notes.
🌾 Flour: Forms the crumb of the cake and creates structure within the layers of pears.
☁️ Baking powder: Helps give the cake slight lift.
🧂 Salt: Balances the flavors and makes magic with the flour and baking powder to form the structure.
Nonna’s Tip 🔪
Always use a guard when slicing your pears with a mandoline to avoid serious injury.
Pro Storage Tips
Invisible Pear Cake is gorgeous 💅 and delicious 😋, so you may be wondering if you can make it ahead of time and freeze it for a special occasion. Short answer: yes. However, there are some caveats.
The cake is mostly thin pear slices bound with a light custard. And since pears 🍐 contain a ton of water, they can release a lot of that moisture when frozen and thawed. This results in a soft, mushy cake 😒. Sure, the flavor holds up, but the texture won’t be anything to write home about. Here are a few pro tips on how to freeze Invisible Pear Cake properly so you can enjoy it anytime the craving strikes.
- Let the cake cool completely before freezing. This is VERY important so you can avoid ice crystals ❄️.
- Slice your cake into portions for quick and easy thawing.
- Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag.
- Finally, freeze 🥶 for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy!
Invisible Pear Cake Variations and Substitutions
- If you don’t have pears on hand, you can make this cake with apples 🍎.
- For a gluten-free version, use your favorite 1:1 GF flour.
- Instead of almond extract, feel free to swap with vanilla extract.
- Dairy-free 🚫🥛? You’re in luck – this recipe uses avocado oil instead of butter, so you’ll only need to swap the milk with your favorite plant-based kind.
- I use an 11×5 inch loaf pan for this recipe, but you can also use a standard 8×4 or 9×5 pan – whichever you have on hand.
Best Served With
- A dusting of powdered sugar, a scoop of vanilla ice cream 🍨, or a dollop of whipped cream.
- Hot drinks like coffee ☕ , chai tea, or hot chocolate.
- As a light dessert following a rich meal like Roasted Chicken and Potatoes.
- Brunch spread items like this gravlax-inspired Labneh Breakfast Plate and arugula salad. Pair with mimosas, Bellinis, or a crisp Prosecco 🥂.
Similar Recipes
Common Questions
It’s totally optional! Peeling the pears gives the cake a more delicate texture, while leaving the skins on adds color, added fiber, and gives your cake beautiful rustic look.
A mandoline is a great tool to have in your kitchen. I use this one. However, you can also slice your pears really thinly with a knife in a pinch.
Yes! This cake stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You can also wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, simply place it out on the counter and let it come to room temperature.
Yes! Invisible Pear Cake is a spinoff of the viral Invisible Apple cake. You can find the full recipe here.
Of course! Swap out the flour for your favorite 1:1 gluten free substitute.
Invisible Pear Cake
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 small Bartlett pears, about 1.5 lbs, cored and mandolined
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 lemon zested, into the sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1.5 tbsp oil, avocado
- 1 tsp almond extract, or vanilla
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Note: never use a mandoline without the guard as it can cause serious injuries.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Line an 11 by 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. (If you do not have an 11×5, any large size loaf pan will work.)
- Core and slice the pears. You do not need to peel them. Take the mandoline, place the whole pear with the guard on top, and slice each pear into 1/8 inch rings (refer to my video if needed). Set aside.
- Note: If you do not have a mandoline, you can also slice them thinly with a knife, but the final result won't be as good.
- Into a mixing bowl, add sugar and the zest of one lemon. Massage the lemon zest and sugar together until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add in the eggs and using a hand mixer, mix until it forms a light, frothy consistency.
- Add in milk, avocado oil, and almond extract. Mix until combined.
- Finally, add in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt). Mix until you have a thin batter.
- Place your thinly sliced pears into the batter and toss until each slice is well coated.
- Note: I did not peel the pears. They are cored then sliced as thinly as possible with a mandoline using a safe guard.
- Arrange the coated pears into the loaf pan making sure to layer them evenly.
- When you place the coated pear rings in the pan, you will be left with a little bit of extra batter. Pour the remaining batter on top and give the pan a shake.
- Bake at 350F (177C) for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the pears are soft.
- Once baked, remove your pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. If you slice before cooling, the cake will fall apart.
- Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, ice cream or caramel on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fruit swap: If you don’t have pears on hand, you can make this cake with apples.
- Gluten-free: For a gluten-free version, use your favorite 1:1 GF flour.
- Flavor swap: Instead of almond extract, feel free to swap with vanilla extract.
- Dairy-free: This recipe uses avocado oil instead of butter, so you’ll only need to swap the milk with your favorite plant-based kind.
- Loaf pan sizes: I use an 11×5 inch loaf pan for this recipe, but you can also use a standard 8×4 or 9×5 pan – whichever you have on hand.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe after apple cake!!!
Thank you, Susan! It’s delicious! 🥰
I really want to try this but want to know if I can use super fine almond flour, please?
Thank you
Hi, Andrea! I haven’t tested it with almond flour, but I think it will be ok. Let me know if you decide to experiment! 👩🍳
So so good. I tried the invisible Apple cake version and when I saw this, I had to make it immediately with the pears I had sitting around. Insanely good!!!
This cake is almost too beautiful to eat! My pear-loving daughter loved it!
This was so good! I’ll be making this on the regular for sure.
This recipe is PERFECTION! 😋🙌🏼
It was soo good that I ate it all and made the empty pan look like the cake was invisible to my girl friend.