Food and Recipes Desserts Cakes Dark Chocolate-Pear Cake 3.0 (2) 2 Reviews Almost like a brownie, this cake is the best of both worlds. By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer who's been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017. Her recipes and writing have appeared in over 10 nationally distributed print publications as well as on various digital platforms. Anna's recipes have been showcased on the covers of magazines such as Food & Wine and Southern Living. Anna earned her BS in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida and a degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier Birmingham chapter. When not in the kitchen, Anna enjoys hiking with her son, husband, and 2 dogs. She also loves fostering puppies for a local animal rescue group. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on August 16, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Active Time: 15 mins Bake Time: 45 mins Cool Time: 1 hrs Total Time: 2 hrs Servings: 8 Jump to recipe This fall, we're shining a light on one of the most underrated fall fruits: Pears. Apples have historically gotten all of the attention, but these fall fruits are just as sweet. The proof? This Dark Chocolate-Pear Cake. Our Test Kitchen calls this "a brownie cake." You get the crisp, crackly crust on both the top and the edges—and of course, the gooey, super-chocolatey center. Beating the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy is a brownie technique that produces that signature shiny, crackly crust. Chopped almonds add textural contrast to this rich cake, while thinly-sliced pear brings a note of freshness. This recipe calls for Bosc pears. A firm, honey-sweet pick, it's good for baking. Press near the stem end of fruit to check it for ripeness—a firm ripe pear is best here so the thin slices hold their shape. Serve this cake with a stout or porter, or a tall glass of milk. A scoop of ice cream on top would also be lovely. Ingredients Baking spray with flour 3 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate bars, chopped and divided (3 cups chopped) ½ cup canola oil 3 large eggs ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 ⅓ cups self-rising flour ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa 1 medium-size firm-ripe Bosc pear, thinly sliced ⅓ cup chopped unsalted almonds Directions Preheat oven to 325°F. Line bottom of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with parchment paper. Spray with baking spray. Place 2 cups of the chocolate in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, about 1½ minutes. Stir in oil until smooth. Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale in color and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in melted chocolate mixture. Fold in flour and cocoa until just combined. Fold in remaining 1 cup chopped chocolate until combined. Spoon into skillet; smooth with a spatula. Top with pear and almonds. Bake in preheated oven until edges are crisp but center is still slightly gooey, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in skillet on a wire rack until room temperature, about 1 hour. Rate it Print