With the lovely flavors of cinnamon, sweet golden raisins, dates, brown sugar and soft persimmon fruit, this is as wholesome as it gets for a delicious persimmon bread.

The back story

Over the December holidays I had a couple of friends over for tea during which time one of my friends Padmini brought a homemade persimmon bread to share. Padmini’s persimmon bread was light and delicious and went perfectly with a warm cup of tea.

About the recipe

Usually the favored persimmons to use for this cake is Hachiya since its best had when they are super soft like pudding. Hachiya persimmon gives the bread that delicious moistness.

Though we have reached the end of our persimmon season here in the Bay Area, I still had a few Fuyu persimmons left in my fruit basket but they had become too soft to eat, so I thought I would try and use them to make Padmini’s persimmon bread.  As delicious as it turned out I did find however that my cake was more fluffy than moist. Whether made with Fuyu or Hachiya persimmon this is one delicious persimmon cake!

Persimmon Bread
makes one 8 inch or 9 inch loaf
recipe contributed by Padmini

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup persimmon pulp (remove skin, seeds and mash)
• 1/4 cup chopped dates
• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil a 9 inch loaf pan and place parchment paper at the bottom. Oil the parchment paper and dust with flour. Set aside.
• In a small bowl combine flour, cinnamon, and salt.

• In a large bowl blend eggs, brown sugar and oil. Add baking soda and pulp and blend into the mixture.

• Combine flour mixture with the egg mixture. Add in dates and raisins.

• Pour batter into prepared pan.

• Bake for 60 -75 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool for 15 minutes before taking out of pan.

• Since I had just pruned a few bushes in the garden I had some wonderful smelling nutmeg geranium which I used as decoration for the cake along with geranium flowers and a reships.

For a lovely sweet treat to have with a cup of tea or coffee give this persimmon bread a try!