Description

This Pear Chai Tahini Cake is a moist, spiced cake featuring the warm flavors of chai spices and creamy tahini. Topped with beautifully arranged slices of sweet D’Anjou pears, this cake combines fragrant spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg with a tender crumb, creating a perfect cozy dessert for fall or any special occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Batter

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
1/3 cup tahini
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream

Topping

4 D’Anjou pears, peeled, cored, halved, and thinly sliced
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 325℉ (163℃). Generously butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan to prevent sticking and set it aside.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined. This blend creates the fragrant chai spice base for the cake.
Mix wet ingredients: In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs and light brown sugar until smooth. Then add the tahini and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is creamy and even. Finally, stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated.
Combine wet and dry: Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula. Mix gently until just combined to maintain a tender crumb in the final cake.
Assemble and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Arrange the sliced pear halves on top evenly, allowing some slices to sink slightly into the batter—the pears will soften beautifully during baking.
Bake the cake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and finish: Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before removing from the pan to prevent breaking. Once completely cooled, dust the top with powdered sugar for a delicate, sweet finish. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Use ripe but firm D’Anjou pears for the best texture; overly ripe pears may become mushy.
To easily peel pears, blanch them briefly in boiling water and then transfer to ice water before peeling.
Tahini adds a unique nutty flavor and moisture; be sure to use well-stirred tahini for even mixing.
Ensure not to overmix the batter to keep the cake light and tender.
Let the cake cool completely before slicing to get clean pieces.
If you prefer, substitute light brown sugar with coconut sugar for a different sweetness profile.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: International

Keywords: Pear Cake, Chai Spice Cake, Tahini Cake, Spiced Pear Dessert, Fall Dessert, Autumn Cake