Description
Winter Spiced Pear Bread offers a moist, flavorful quick bread perfect for cold weather. It combines warm spices like cardamom and cinnamon with sweet, tender diced pears, topped with an optional crunchy cinnamon sugar crumble.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups peeled, diced ripe pears (about 2 large)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- Cinnamon sugar topping (optional):
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with a parchment sling if you plan to use one.
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract; do not worry if the mixture looks slightly curdled.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves (if using), and salt until they mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix only until you see no streaks of dry flour remain.
- Gently fold in the diced pears and nuts, taking care not to overmix the batter.
- For the optional topping: Combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold cubed butter until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle this topping evenly over the batter in the pan.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top surface.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Tent the loaf loosely with foil if it browns too fast.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, lift it out using the parchment sling (if used) onto a wire rack to cool completely before you slice it.
Notes
- Use pears that are ripe but still firm; very soft pears result in a denser loaf, though it remains moist.
- Cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger create a cozy flavor. Add the optional cloves for extra warmth.
- You can swap 3/4 cup of pear sauce for some of the sour cream to intensify the pear taste, keeping the total liquid amount similar.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American