Spiced Persimmon Bread

A wonderful, moist, sweet, and flavourful loaf that is a nice alternative to banana or pumpkin bread. It's great with coffee on a winter morning or as an afternoon snack. I think this would make really good muffins, as well. Be sure to only use soft and ripe persimmons. From "Diana's Desserts".

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 9 x 5-inch loaf

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2  eggs
• 6  tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick/3 oz/85g)
• 1⁄4 cup buttermilk
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 1⁄2 cups  mashed  hachiya persimmons
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  chopped pecans (optional) or 1  cup walnuts (optional)
•  confectioners' sugar, for dusting top (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Line pan with parchment paper if desired and grease parchment paper also.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, baking poder and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, food processor or blender add eggs, butter, buttermilk, lemon juice, mashed persimmons, sugar and salt. Mix or blend until smooth. Slowly add reserved flour mixture and mix until well incorporated. By hand, fold in nuts (if using).
4. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 75 to 85 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of bread comes out clean.
5. Transfer to wire rack and let cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust top with confectioners' sugar if desired.