Spiced Persimmon Olive Oil Cake

By • November 9, 2010 • 26 Comments

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Author Notes: When I recently found myself with an abundance of Fuyu persimmons, I figured the best way to make my way through the mother lode would be to find ways to bake them into something sweet. My first thought was of one of my very favorite recipes ever, the Zucchini Olive Oil Cake from Gina DePalma at Babbo Ristorante in New York City. Her cake is pretty much flawless, so I was a little hesitant to mess with the recipe, but I held my breath and tinkered and came up with this cake, which gets more of its sweetness from the fruit and is great with just a dusting of powdered sugar. (Okay, and maybe a little whipped cream wouldn't hurt either.) I like the whole wheat flour because it adds nice texture, but you can go with 100% all-purpose flour if you prefer. Fuyu persimmons are essential, though, as they have the right texture for grating. This cake makes for a good, not-to-sweet snacking cake and, dusted with powdered sugar, looks fancy enough for dessert. Bake it the night before, and it turns into an easy, delicious breakfast. —vvvanessa

Food52 Review: This cake is a delightful choice to ring in the cold weather when persimmons are at their peak. I loved everything about this cake; all of the tiny touches -- the brightly colored grated fruit, the bit of whole-wheat flour, the freshly grated ginger, and roasted ground pecans combined with a bright, bold olive oil –- add up to one delicious cake with an enchanting melody of flavors. A note to cooks: the fruit does add a lot of sweetness –- experiment with cutting the sugar down if you want the fruit sugars to shine through. I used half the recommended amount and it came out wonderfully. —thebreukelenlife

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Serves 10 to 12

  • 3 tablespoons /1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups /6 1/2 ounces plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup /2 1/4 ounces whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
  • 1 cup /7 ounces light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably one that is full-bodied and fruity
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated peeled ginger
  • 2 1/2 cups /about 10 ounces grated Fuyu persimmon (about 4 small persimmons; use the large holes of a box grater)
  • 1 cup /4 ounces finely ground toasted pecans
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Generously butter a minimum 10-cup capacity bundt pan, then add 2 tablespoons flour to the pan and coat the entire interior with the flour, tapping out the excess.
  2. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients (not the sugar, though) and set them aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high until they are thickened, about 5 minutes (the mixture will fall from the beater in a narrow ribbon).
  4. Scrape the mixture off the beater and into the mixing bowl, then switch to the whisk attachment. With the mixer on medium speed, add the olive oil in a slow stream to incorporate it into the egg and sugar mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla and ginger and whisk for a few seconds more.
  5. Add in the dry ingredients, and mix on low just to combine. Raise the speed to medium and continue to mix for another 30 seconds. Fold in the persimmons and nuts to distribute them evenly.
  6. Pour the batter into the pan, and smooth out the top. Bake on the center rack for 45-50 minutes, rotating the pan about 20 minutes into baking. The cake is done when the cake tests clean in the deepest part of the pan.
  7. Cool the cake for about 10 minutes then invert it onto a wire rack to finish cooling. To dress the cake up a bit for dessert, put the powdered sugar in a fine sieve and, tapping the rim of the sieve, dust the sugar over the cake. Slice and serve.

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