Air Fryer Pear Cake

Air fryer pear tart with powdered sugar on white plate with three pears in background

5 from 4 votes

This air fryer pear cake is comforting and delicious, especially during pear season. This is a no-frills tart that evokes nostalgia for simpler times, like being in grandma's kitchen, with the fruity vanilla aroma filling the air. [Oven instructions provided.]

Servings pieces

Ingredients

½ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
4 tablespoon butter unsalted (½ stick or ¼ cup), at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
12 oz pears (about 2 small) cored and sliced ⅓ inch thick *
2 teaspoon lemon juice
powdered sugar optional

Instructions

AIR FRYER INSTRUCTIONS (See Note!)

Generously grease and flour a 7-inch springform or push pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, use a whisk to stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Use a handheld or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and creamy. Do not use high speed. Periodically scrape the sides of the bowl using a silicone spatula.
Beat in the egg on medium speed until combined.
Beat in vanilla extract until just incorporated.
Add the flour and beat until combined. Don't overmix. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl periodically.
Preheat the air fryer to 370 °F (188 °C) for 5 minutes.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Use a spatula to gently even out the batter.
Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Mix the pears with half the lemon juice and half the cinnamon sugar. Be careful when mixing; avoid bruising the pears.
Arrange the pears in concentric circles on the batter. Discard any liquid left in the bowl. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the pears and evenly drizzle with remaining lemon juice.
Place the baking pan in the air fryer and bake at 370 °F (188 °C) for 30 minutes.
Once the time is up, test the cake for doneness with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out wet or has crumbs on it, bake for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the cake from the air fryer onto a cooling rack. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to separate it from the pan. This makes sure the sugar doesn't harden and cause the cake to stick to the sides. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes.
Remove the sides of the springform or push pan and set the cake onto a cake rack and allow it to cool a bit.
Once the cake is cool enough to handle, remove the bottom of the pan and let the cake cool completely.
Dust the cake with powdered sugar if desired.

OVEN INSTRUCTIONS
To Make in the Oven, Follow Air Fryer Instructions Except:

Double all ingredients and use a 9-inch cake pan.
Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C)
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Video

Notes

Note: Every air fryer's cooking time will vary due to wattage, capacity, and other factors. Always check on the food 2 to 3 minutes before the time is up to make sure it's not burning or overcooking!
* You don't need to use two pears. You can go lighter on the pears and use 1 or 1 ½ pears.
Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. room temperature eggs, softened butter, cut pears, etc.
If baking in a basket-style air fryer (like Cosori), check on the cake at 22 minutes to make sure it's not over-browning. If you find it's too brown at 370 degrees Fahrenheit, the next time reduce the temperature to 360 degrees.

Nutrition