Gluten Free Pear Coffee Cake

Name: Gluten Free Pear Coffee Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 6 ounces gluten-free cream cheese (at room temperature (Philadelphia) or (Tofutti or Go Dairy Free)); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature (or dairy-free margarine*)); 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 3 large eggs ((or 3 tablespoons butter + 6 tablespoons liquid from canned cannellini beans)); 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Carla's Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend ((see link to recipe above)); 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1-1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder ((Rumford or Featherweight for corn-free)); 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 2 fresh pears (peeled (or not) and cored, and thinly sliced); 1/4 cup fresh blueberries ((optional)); 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar ((optional))

Up for a cup of coffee, tea, or glass of milk and a slice of this delicious, moist gluten free pear coffee cake? Even your gluten-eating guests will enjoy this cake. Bake it in advance and keep frozen for unexpected guests. Adding a few blueberries provides a little contrasting color, flavor, as well as antioxidants but is not necessary.

Traditionally, this cake is made with mascarpone cheese instead of cream cheese, but sometimes, that’s all you have on hand or can find that is gluten free. If you’d like to use gluten free mascarpone cheese, see the Tips section below.

Gluten Free Pear Coffee Cake

A gluten free pear coffee cake that will impress your guests. They'll never know it's gluten free and will surely ask for seconds.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, Italian

Ingredient Keyword blueberry, coffee cake, pear

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Cooling Time: 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

6 ounces gluten-free cream cheese at room temperature (Philadelphia) or (Tofutti or Go Dairy Free)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature (or dairy-free margarine*)
2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs (or 3 tablespoons butter + 6 tablespoons liquid from canned cannellini beans)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons Carla's Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend (see link to recipe above)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder (Rumford or Featherweight for corn-free)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 fresh pears peeled (or not) and cored, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Oil and flour a 9-inch spring-form pan. If you only have a standard 9-inch cake pan, oil the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and oil the top of the paper; set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed.
Add the oil and sugar and cream together for about 4 minutes or fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour blend, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add all at once to the wet mixture folding in on low speed using the paddle attachment or by hand with a silicone/rubber spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and top with sliced pears. Distribute the blueberries amongst the pear slices.
Bake on the center rack of the oven 45 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the ring from the spring-form pan and allow to continue to cool completely.
Dust the top with confectioners' sugar using a fine mesh strainer, if desired.
Cover and keep at room temperature up to two days. Slice and freeze individual slices that are leftover as soon as possible. Defrost at room temperature.