Persimmon Bundt Cake

Submitted by evelynathens

"Got a lot of persimmons you don't know what to do with? Or have you always wanted to make something using this little-known fruit. Here's your chance to make a wonderful, flavourful Bundt cake that not only has luscious persimmons in it, but warm spices that make it extra-special."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 4 large ripe persimmons
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup butter, room temperature
• 3 extra large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3⁄4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 3⁄4 cup dried currant
• confectioners' sugar

directions

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
2. Butter and flour Bundt pan.
3. Peel persimmons.
4. Press pulp through coarse sieve into medium bowl.
5. Measure 1 1/3 cups persimmon puree into small bowl.
6. Mix baking soda into puree and set aside.
7. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until blended (mixture will be grainy).
8. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
9. Mix in vanilla.
10. Sift flour, cinnamon, salt, allspice and cloves into butter mixture; blend well using rubber spatula.
11. Mix in persimmon mixture, walnuts and currants.
12. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
13. Bake cake until tester comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
14. Cook cake in pan on rack 5 minutes.
15. Turn out cake onto rack; cool completely.
16. Sift confectioners’ sugar over cake.

Reviews

[Gale C.]

So much fun! Never knew what to do with all these persimmons from my tree. When I found this recipe I was thrilled. I made it yesterday with pecans instead of walnuts and only 3 persimmons since 4th wasn't ripe. I am totally delighted with the results and just waiting for friend to come for tea and persimmon cake. Going to do the moist banana bread next!!! Gale in Costa Mesa, CA

 

[Maven in the Making]

This was my first-ever cooking experience with persimmons...a positive one, I'm glad to add! Delicious cake. Other reviews were correct - the persimmon flavor isn't strong, but then persimmons don't HAVE a strong flavor! Nice, moist cake perfect for the harvest season. I took one reviewers suggestion to drizzle it with a glaze made of lemon juice, powdered sugar (and I added the lemon zest too)! Very nice recipe! Showy too! Thanks.

 

[Stephanie Y.]

This was a nice way to use up a few persimmons from my grandmother's persimmon tree. I used raisins as I did not have currants. Next time I think I will dredge them in flour first because many of them sunk to the bottom of the pan and caused it to stick. I used a 10 cup intricate bundt pan and I think that played a part in it sticking as well. It was delicious with a nice texture and I will definately make it again!

 

[Sharlene~W]

Instead of pressing pulp through a strainer, I just peeled it and pulsed the pulp in my food processor. I noticed the same phenomenon as Chicagopm--the persimmon pulp kind of jelled when it sat with the baking soda mixed in. But no worries, it mixed in easily. I agree--it could have been cooked in a smaller pan as the cake only ended up being about 3 inches high--not even to the top of the bundt pan.

 

[Chicagopm]

I made this to take to a friend's house for dinner. Everyone loved it - even the picky teenager (she ate 2 pieces). This cake probably would have baked in 50 minutes in my slow oven. For some reason, the baking soda made my persimmon pulp start to solifify. I'm not sure if this is what was supposed to happen or not... I ended up using my hand mixer to blend the persimmon into the batter. I didn't have 3 extra large eggs, so I used about 3 1/2 large eggs. Other than that, I followed the recipe as written. Next time I think that I will try blending the baking soda into the dry ingredients. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I will definitely make this again!