Quince cake is one sweet way to use these delicious, aromatic fruits in season!

Quince cake is a delightful treat that’s not only absolutely delicious – but also packed with nutrients. Quinces, the key ingredient in this recipe, are fruits that closely resemble apples and pears. They have a distinct taste that is both sweet and tart, making them the perfect addition to any baked good.

Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients for Quince Cake

The ingredients for making quince cake are quite simple.  To make one nine-inch cake, you’ll need the following:

For the Topping:

•  4 tbsp (55 g) unsalted butter
•  ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
•  3-4 poached quince, each cut into ¼” slices (save the liquid)
• A pinch of salt

For the Cake:

• 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt (plus some extra)
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cloves 
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted softened butter
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) unsulfured molasses
• ⅓ cup (70 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, brought to room temperature

For Serving:

• 3 tbsp poaching liquid
• Ice cream or whipped cream 

Preparing Quince for Baked Goods

Quince are a delicious, aromatic fruit…but they’re incredibly hard and need a good bit of cooking before you can enjoy them in baked goods.

When working with quince, be it in this quince cake recipe, or something as decadent as quince pie, you need to poach the quince before starting.

I have detailed instructions on poaching quince, but here’s the quick version.

Start by peeling, coring, and quartering the quince.  You’ll need about 4 quince for this recipe.

Place them in a in a saucepan with:

• 2 cups (400 grams) of sugar
• 5 cups (1200 ml) of water
• ½ vanilla bean, cut lengthwise
• ½ lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 strips of orange zest

Bring the mixture to a boil, and then turn down to low and simmer the quince for 30 to 40 minutes until tender.  The fruits should be easy to pierce with a fork. 

You can use the flavorful cooking liquid as quince syrup in other recipes.  This particular quince cake recipe uses strained poached fruit, and just a few tablespoons of the poaching liquid.

How to Make Quince Cake

Before you start, make sure you poach the quince (as described above).

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F or 176 degrees C. Next, butter a 9-inch round baking pan and line the pan with a round of parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper as well, and then dust the pan and paper with flour (this will prevent the cake from sticking to the pan).

As your oven is preheating, you can start by preparing the topping. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat for one minute while whisking occasionally. Make sure the sugar melts into the butter, and then pour the mixture into the bottom of the pan. 

Arrange the quince slices on top of the mixture, ensuring that the bottom of the pan is completely covered with quince slices.

Then, it’s time to make the cake. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices together in a separate bowl.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This should take around five minutes. Add the grated fresh ginger and mix for an additional minute.

Next, scrape the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. This will help the mixture incorporate the eggs more evenly.

Pour in the molasses while keeping the mixer on low speed and continue to mix for one more minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl every now and then to make sure that all the ingredients are well incorporated.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter in three additions. Mix the batter using a rubber spatula and make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. The batter may look slightly curdled, but once the flour and buttermilk are added, it will come back together.

Now, you’ll carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula.

Bake your cake until it’s lightly golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. This should take between 40 to 45 minutes. Once baked, you should let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, transfer the cake to a plate and peel off the parchment paper. Replace any quince slices that may have stuck to the paper and enjoy!

Serving Quince Cake

Unlike some desserts that require additional ingredients right before they’re served, quince cake is ready to consume right out of the oven. However, for added flavor, you can lightly brush some of the quince poaching liquid over the quince slices and cake. 

If you can, serve this cake warm or at room temperature. Pair it with some ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream for a delicious and decadent treat. 

And if you have any leftover quince cake, don’t worry! It can easily be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. This makes it a great dessert option for those who like to prep ahead or entertain guests.

Quince Recipes

Looking for more quince recipes?

• Quince Paste
• Quince Wine
• Quince Liqueur

Yield: Makes 9'' Cake

Quince Cake

Print

Quince cake is one sweet way to use these delicious, aromatic fruits in season!

Prep Time 40 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Topping:

• 4 tbsp (55 g) unsalted butter
• ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 4 poached quince (see notes), each cut into ¼" slices (save the liquid)
• A pinch of salt

For the Cake:

• 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt (plus some extra)
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted softened butter
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) unsulfured molasses
• ⅓ cup (70 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, brought to room temperature

For Serving:

• 3 tbsp poaching liquid
• Ice cream or whipped cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9-inch round baking pan and line the pan with a round of parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper as well, and then dust the pan and paper with flour.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat for one minute while whisking occasionally. Pour into the pan.
4. Arrange the quince slices on top of the mixture, ensuring that the bottom of the pan is completely covered with quince slices.
5. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices together in a separate bowl.
6. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This should take around five minutes. Add the grated fresh ginger and mix for an additional minute.
7. Scrape the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. 
8. Pour in the molasses while keeping the mixer on low speed and continue to mix for one more minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl every now and then.
9. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter in three additions. Mix the batter using a rubber spatula and make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. 
10. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula. 
11. Bake your cake until it's lightly golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, or for 40 to 45 minutes. 
12. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
13. Transfer the cake to a plate and peel off the parchment paper. 
14. Replace any quince slices that may have stuck to the paper, and enjoy!

Notes

Poaching Quince

The quince will need to be peeled, cored, quartered and poached before you begin making the cake. Here's how to poach quince:

• 4 medium quince
• 2 cups (400 grams) of sugar
• 5 cups (1200 ml) of water
• ½ vanilla bean, cut lengthwise
• ½ lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 strips of orange zest

Instructions

1. Peel, core, and cut the quince into quarters. Due to their firmness, they can be a little tough to cut, so take your time.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the water, sugar, vanilla bean, lemon zest, and juice, and orange zest. 
3. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
4. As you work with the quince, place the quarters into the simmering poaching liquid to prevent them from oxidizing. 
5. Top off with additional water if necessary to keep the quince fully submerged. 
6. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the quince is tender. 
7. Once they’re tender, allow the quince to cool in their syrup. They're now ready to use!