You may have noticed that we’re entering into the new cookbook season. It is my very favorite time of year. We got things kicked off with Chocolate Mousse and Cookie recipes from David Lebovitz’s newly revised classic, Ready for Dessert. This week I get to share another one of my baking heroes with you.
Dorie’s Anytime Cakes
Dorie has written so many of my favorite baking books and just when you might think she’s finally outdone herself, she produces yet another classic. Dorie’s Anytime Cakes is going to be a trusted companion in your kitchen. It’s all the delicious cakes we love without the fuss and time. She always knows what we want at every turn. People are busy but still crave a soul satisfying cake and that’s exactly what Dorie delivers.
I am so lucky to have spent time with Dorie as a fellow baker and friend. She is as generous and kind as she is talented. She is sharing her First-of-Fall Pear Bundt with all of you and sat down to offer us some of her caking wisdom and inspiration. I always love talking to her and seeing how a true visionary produces her work.
As you may know, Dorie has collaborated with the great Julia Child and French pastry chef Pierre Hermes in the past, now she is collaborating in a new way, with illustrator Nancy Pappas. Their connection is rare and so lovely. The work that came of their sweet relationship is truly unique and makes this new book stand out.
This cozy cake is studded with fall fruit throughout. The batter is sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup, which creates a rich, decadent, but also homey flavor. Mix the apples (or pears) with cinnamon and you have the absolute perfect cake for the season when the wind kicks up and we need something warm and comforting. The caramel is the perfect blanket for the cake, which Dorie says is optional, but it is toooooo delicious to skip!
Giveaway!
You need this book in your kitchen! Dorie was kind enough to give away THREE copies of her book! Just leave a comment below and you’ll be entered for a chance to win! US addresses only. Leave a comment by Monday, October 27, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. central time to be entered.
Video
Ingredients
For the Apples (or pears)
- 2 large apples (about 1 pound / 455g) peeled and cored
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Cake
- 2 3/4 cups (374g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) brown sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (240ml) neutral oil
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) full-fat buttermilk (well shaken before measuring) at room temperature
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting optional
For the Caramel
- 8 Tbsp (4 oz; 113g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) evaporated milk, half-and-half or cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350℉.
- Choose a 10-cup Bundt pan, preferably one that doesn’t have a complicated design; coat it with baker’s spray or butter it, dust the interior with flour and tap out the excess.
- Cut the apples into small chunks. Try to keep them less than 1/2 inch, but don’t fuss over neatness here; even a rough chop will work. You should have between 31/2 and 4 cups of chunks (but again, precision’s not necessary).
- Put the apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss together to coat the apples; set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
- Working in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the brown sugar and eggs together on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
- Still working on medium, and scraping the bowl and beater(s) as needed, blend in the maple syrup, followed by the oil and then the vanilla.
- Turn off the mixer, add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are almost incorporated.
- Pour in the buttermilk, and mix just until incorporated, then add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix just until they disappear into the thin batter.
- Give the apples a quick stir, scrape them into the batter—include any syrup that has accumulated—and mix them in with a flexible spatula. Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the cake just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and, more important, a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The batter may have baked a bit higher than the center opening, but that’s fine.
- Transfer the cake to a rack and let it sit for 10 minutes, then unmold it onto the rack and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- If you won’t be finishing the cake with the caramel glaze, dust it with confectioners’ sugar, if you’d like.
- Optional Caramel:
- Put the butter, brown sugar, milk (or half-and-half or cream) and vanilla in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil and keep at a bubble, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Use the caramel immediately as a glaze for the cake (put the cake on a rack set over a baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper and pour over the caramel) or as a sauce over slices of cake, or over ice cream, if you’re serving it.
- The caramel can also be covered and refrigerated—warm gently before using.
This looks amazing!
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Can’t wait to make this! Yummmm!
I have a ton of ripe pears sitting on my counter and can’t wait to try this. I sounds divine!!
I have seen many apple cake recipes, but never a pear cake. This one, oh my God!, looks so comforting… I see myself on a cool and rainy fall day just sitting relaxed having a slice of it with a cup of coffee or tea. I WILL have to make it.
I can’t wait to make this cake! Perfect fall cake!
This looks delicious, can’t wait to get the book!
I love Dorie! And this recipe couldn’t have come at a better time! Thank you!
Good morning,
That cookbook cover is so colorful & inviting. This is the perfect time for a new baking book right before the holidays. ❤️
I’ve been looking for the perfect fall pear cake, and I just found it. Thank you Zoe and Dorie!!
I’ll be trying this with some pears I bought at the farmers market today. Thank you for the recipe!
Looks amazing!!!
I am definitely baking this today!!! I used to bake a lot more, but life got in the way. Thank you for bringing me back to my “happy place”!
Looks incredible! Huge congrats to Dorie on another beautiful book
Looks delicious. I’m going to try one pear version and one apple version.
This looks like the perfect fall bake. And swapping the apples for pears is a great variation
I love cooking with Dorie’s recipes and can’t wait to explore this book!
Dorie is the best! Can’t wait to look over this book! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
I love finding recipes that use oil instead of butter. They stay moist longer and given the price of butter, more economical. The cake was yummy.
Wow, this looks delicious! I picked up some Seckel pears the other day out of curiosity. This sounds like a wonderful way to eat them. My family no doubt will love this, thanks for sharing! Would be very happy if I won a copy of the cookbook!
I’m making this cake in the morning for sure. Looks like rain tomorrow morning and I love baking on a rainy day
I can hardly wait to make this cake, either pear or apple. Why not both? And why not go all the way with vanilla ice cream and the caramel sauce on top. Sounds like a whole lot of perfect in my book.
This cake and recipe look awesome. Love pear or apple recipes and of course, anything with caramel, makes it that much better. And why not go all the way, as Dorie suggests, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream I’ll have another piece, thank you.
When I read your e-mails, you inspire me to up my baking!
Thank you so much for sharing your lovely recipes in your new book and for the generous giveaway, Dorie! I can’t wait to make this cake – it looks and sounds absolutely scrumptious! Thank you, Zoe, for sharing the recipe and the giveaway! Between you two ladies my family thinks I’m a baking genius! Shhhhh
I love Dorie’s books and I have baked many of Zoe’s creations from her books too!