If you've never had a Romanian pear walnut cake, prepare for love at first bite. This rustic recipe is almost equal parts juicy pears, crunchy walnuts, and tender, rum-scented dough. Crowned with just a hint of lemon.
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.
In This Post:
I'm deeply attached to this cake.
Maybe it's the juicy pears meeting the rich walnuts.
Maybe it's the hint of rum and lemon zest that feels both cozy and a little fancy.
Or maybe it's the fact that it's dense and satisfying without being fussy.
One slice and you'll understand why. This is the cake I bring out when I want to impress but don't have time for elaborate baking.
Why This Pear Walnut Cake Recipe Is So Special
- Romanian flavor trio in baking: walnuts, rum, and lemon zest.
The walnuts add crunch and depth. The pears bring sweetness and moisture. And the lemon zest brightens every bite. - Almost equal parts pears, walnuts, and dough.
- Its simple, rustic elegance.
I hope you'll like it just as much as my family does.
🍽 Recipe
Romanian Pear Walnut Cake (vegan, easy)
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 200 g vegan butter, softened (or margarine)
- 125 g sugar
- 1 small very ripe banana, peeled & mashed (used as egg replacer)
- 4 tablespoons vegan milk
- 1 tablespoon rum or cognac (or ½ teaspoon rum flavoring)
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 1 kg pears, quartered, cored, and sliced*
- 200 g walnuts coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sugar**
For Dusting
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour your springform pan.
- Prepare the pears: Wash, quarter, core, and slice them thinly.
- Make the batter: Beat vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in banana, oat milk, rum, and lemon zest.
- Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and vanilla powder. Add to the wet mix and stir until just combined.
- Assemble: Spread half the batter in the pan. Layer with pears, sprinkle with walnuts and 2 tablespoon sugar.
- Top it off: Spoon the rest of the batter over, leaving some walnuts peeking through for rustic charm.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar.Tip: Serve with vegan whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence. Yum!
Notes
Variations
This pear cake is very forgiving and works just as well with a pear-apple mix or jam.
- Apples
You can replace half the pears with peeled apples for a pear-apple mix. Or go all in with just (peeled) apples. And don't discard those peels, instead make apple peel chips.
- Jam
Add a layer of apricot or plum jam under the fruit for a richer flavor (very Romanian!). Just skip the 2 tablespoons of sugar in the topping and add your favorite apricot or plum jam instead.
Credits & a Cookbook
I adapted this vegan pear walnut cake recipe from a family favorite found in Olga Katharina Farca's cookbook. I've swapped and tweaked a few things to make it fully plant-based. But the soul of the recipe is exactly the same.
My mom and I have been turning to this special cookbook for years. Sadly, it's only available in German. The title translates to: My Mother's Cookbook: Culinary Treasures from Banat - A Wedding Cook's Memories.
Wonder what Banat is? It's a historic region in western Romania, with a rich mix of cultural influences (for example, Austrian, Hungarian, Serbian) that show up beautifully in its food.
The stories and the food in the cookbook are close to my heart, being born and raised in Banat. The recipes are not vegan, but some can be easily veganized (like the pear walnut cake recipe above or this babka with nuts).
More Fruity Cake & Muffin Recipes
If fruity desserts are up your alley, you'll also love these recipes:
- Mandarin Orange Cake With Streusel
- Spice Rhubarb Cake With Polenta
- Raspberry Muffins With Hazelnuts
- Rhubarb Cake With Streusel and Pudding
- Ginger Muffins With Pears & Chocolate
- Apple & Quinces Crumble
Enjoy,
Ramona
PS: If you try it, tell me in the comments how it turned out. I'm always curious.
♥
Write a Comment