Cardamom Pear Bread with Almond Glaze

Cardamom Pear Bread with Almond Glaze is the perfect quick bread to make for brunch or a holiday breakfast! The flavors of warm, citrusy cardamom, juicy pears and a sweet almond glaze will have you grabbing a second slice!

How in the world is it already the last few days of October?! Danae here from Recipe Runner and I can’t believe how October just flew by. Have you guys been having weird fall weather like we have here in Colorado? We’ve had maybe 3-4 days that really felt cool and like fall, but otherwise it’s been in the 70’s and 80’s and feeling more like summer.

It’s also been super dry here and my poor skin is not appreciating it. Bath and Body Works is loving that I go through a bottle of lotion almost every two weeks and of course I can’t go in that store without buying a fall smelling candle. I think I go through the candles about as fast as I go through the lotion…it’s a horrible addiction.

On the days that have been cool I can’t resist turning on the oven and doing some baking. For one, it warms up the house, and two, I can’t get enough of the smell of breads and cookies baking in the oven. This Cardamom Pear Bread with Almond Glaze smelled particularly good on the cold, cloudy (but not rainy) day that I baked it.

I love baking with pears because I feel like they’re often forgotten about in the fall. Everyone is so gung-ho on pumpkin and apples that they forget that the pear even exists. I love how juicy and sweet a ripe pear is. When you bite into one and that juice starts running down your chin…the best! This cardamom pear bread uses not only fresh pears, but pear juice as well. The juice adds a more concentrated pear flavor just in case you wind up with one that isn’t the sweetest. Cardamom is a wonderful fall spice that goes well with pears. It’s a warm spice with some citrus notes to it. It’s a very distinct spice and similar to the pear, one that I don’t think people use enough. After the bread bakes and cools, the almond glaze is poured over the top and turns this quick bread into a sweet fall treat! The bread would be a wonderful addition to a weekend or holiday breakfast or serve it with a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream for dessert!

Cardamom Pear Bread with Almond Glaze

Yield: 1 (9x5) loaf

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 5 mins

 

Cardamom Pear Bread with Almond Glaze is the perfect quick bread to make for brunch or a holiday breakfast! The flavors of warm, citrusy cardamom, juicy pears and a sweet almond glaze will have you grabbing a second slice!

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Ingredients

Cardamom Pear Bread

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup pear juice* I used this, see note below about high altitude
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons oil such as canola or vegetable
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup shredded pear approximately 1 large pear
• Toasted sliced almonds for topping the bread optional

Almond Glaze

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon pear juice plus more if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

Cardamom Pear Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, pear juice, honey, oil, eggs and extracts
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together with a rubber spatula.
6. When the batter is nearly combined fold in the shredded pear.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (See note below about baking times)
8. If the bread starts to get too brown on top cover it loosely with a piece of foil.
9. Cool the bread completely on a wire cooling rack.

Almond Glaze

1. In a small bowl whisk together all of the ingredients for the glaze until smooth and pourable.
2. If the glaze is too thick add more pear juice, about 1/2 teaspoon at a time, if it's too thin add more powdered sugar.
3. Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled bread and top with the toasted sliced almonds if desired.

Notes

* If you live at high altitude like I do your baking time will probably be closer to 45 -50 minutes and if you are closer to sea level it will probably be closer to an hour.

* I also recommend if you don't live at high altitude that you decrease the pear juice from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup as you typically need more liquid when baking at altitude.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 2001, Fat: 51g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 169mg, Sodium: 1842mg, Potassium: 1691mg, Carbohydrates: 363g, Fiber: 25g, Sugar: 212g, Protein: 42g, Vitamin A: 240%, Vitamin C: 53.9%, Calcium: 419%, Iron: 8.6%

*Nutritional information is an estimate. Please consult a doctor or nutritionist for the most accurate nutritional info.

Course: Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: almond glaze, cardamom pear bread

All images and text ©Spoonful of Flavor

If you try this recipe, don't forget to leave a review below or share a photo and tag @Spoonfulflavor on Instagram.

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Oatmeal Carrot Cake Bread

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