This “dump it all in a pan and bake it forever” recipe makes a huge, flavorful cake that will probably look a little different every time you make it, depending on how you layer on the toppings. It’s tender, moist, and dense all at the same time, and the streusel melts over the surface, enrobing the pears. It will make your whole house smell like fall, and it’s just as great for breakfast as it is for dessert.
If you don’t have a 10-inch springform or cake pan, you can bake this cake in two loaf pans; see Pro Tip.
Makes one 10-inch cake
Difficulty: Easy
Make Ahead and Storage: The cake is delicious the day it’s baked, but it can be stored, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 5 days.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C, with a rack in the middle. Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan or a round cake pan that is at least 2 inches tall.
2. Make the streusel: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, and brown sugar. Add the cubed butter and use your fingertips to cut it in until the mixture is homogeneously combined and clumps together in large crumbles. Add the walnuts and toss to incorporate.
3. Make the cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), cream the butter, both sugars, and ginger on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is well incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the bowl well. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oats. Add the mixture to the butter mixture and blend on low speed just until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the grated pears and crystallized ginger and mix just until incorporated.
6. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top the cake with the sliced pear in a single even layer, then sprinkle on the streusel.
7. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached, 80 to 90 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes, then unmold it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Or eat it warm.
✻ Why It Works
Using the fruit’s natural moisture instead of a liquid like milk makes this cake extra flavorful. Rye flour contains significantly less gluten than the traditional wheat flour, which makes for a more tender result. Recipes that use rye also typically need a higher ratio of liquid to properly hydrate the flour (due to the naturally occurring sugars present in rye, called pentosans). The pentosans can break apart easily with too much mixing, so it’s important to not overmix this batter.
★ Pro Tip
If you don’t have a 10-inch cake pan, you can bake this cake in two greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pans (or cut the recipe in half for one loaf pan). Line the pans with parchment paper (leave a 1-inch overhang on the two long sides to make it easy to lift the loaves out), then lightly grease the paper. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes (check halfway through and tent with aluminum foil if the cake is browning too quickly).