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Close-up of several slices of a golden, layered Invisible Pear Cake with thin apple slices visible throughout. The cake is dusted with powdered sugar and placed on a sheet of printed parchment paper.
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5 from 5 votes

Invisible Pear Cake

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.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French, Italian, Japanese
Keyword: cake recipe, invisible apple cake
Servings: 12 slices
Author: The Modern Nonna

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 5 small Bartlett pears about 1.5 lbs, cored and mandolined
  • â…“ 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
US Customary - Metric

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 11x5, 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.
    A hand slices a green pear using a white mandoline slicer over a white plate, preparing thin pear slices for Invisible Pear Cake. A small pumpkin sits in the background on a wooden surface.
  • 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.
    A hand mixes a yellow and white powdered mixture in a glass bowl on a wooden surface, with small orange pumpkins in the background—prepping ingredients for an Invisible Pear Cake.
  • Next, add in the eggs and using a hand mixer, mix until it forms a light, frothy consistency.
    A close-up of an electric mixer blending yellow Invisible Pear Cake batter in a glass bowl on a wooden surface, with small pumpkins in the background and sunlight casting shadows across the scene.
  • Add in milk, avocado oil, and almond extract. Mix until combined.
    A hand pours creamy liquid from a glass measuring cup into a large bowl of yellow batter on a wooden table, preparing an Invisible Pear Cake, with baked goods and a pumpkin in the kitchen background.
  • Finally, add in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt). Mix until you have a thin batter.
    A hand pours flour from a white bowl into a glass mixing bowl of yellow batter. Sunlight streams onto the wooden table, hinting at an Invisible Pear Cake in progress, while a pumpkin sits blurred in the background.
  • Place your thinly sliced pears into the batter and toss until each slice is well coated.
    A hand mixes thinly sliced green apples in batter for an Invisible Pear Cake inside a glass bowl, with a small pumpkin and bakery shelves filled with bread visible in the background.
  • Note: I did not peel the pears. They are cored then sliced as thinly as possible with a mandoline using a safe guard.
    A hand holds a thin, round slice of green apple with a hole in the center above a plate stacked with similar apple slices—perfect for layering in an Invisible Pear Cake; a pumpkin and baked goods sit blurred in the background.
  • Arrange the coated pears into the loaf pan making sure to layer them evenly.
    A rectangular baking pan lined with parchment paper holds thinly sliced green apples, arranged in overlapping layers for an Invisible Pear Cake. Sunlight casts gentle shadows on the wooden surface beneath the pan.
  • 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.
    A hand pours creamy batter from a glass cup over thinly sliced apples arranged in a baking dish, creating an Invisible Pear Cake. Small pumpkins and bread are visible in the warm, autumn-themed background.
  • 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.
    Close-up of a sliced cake with visible layers of thin apple slices, resembling the popular Invisible Pear Cake. The dessert sits on patterned parchment paper, with a fork and cake server in the background.
  • Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, ice cream or caramel on top. Enjoy!

Video

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 11x5 inch loaf pan for this recipe, but you can also use a standard 8x4 or 9x5 pan - whichever you have on hand. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
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