American Persimmon

In the midwest and southeastern part of the United States recipes for persimmon cake, puddings, cookies, cheesecakes and ice cream are as popular as pumpkin recipes.  I had not eaten anything persimmon in central Indiana until I married and lived in southern Indiana. It was a yearly treat for my husband’s family.  So I learned to like this strange little fruit.  It is bitter if eaten before it’s time,  it’s ripe after the first frost.  Best eaten in desserts with whipped cream.

American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) http://kids.britannica.com/comptoms/art-153606

An interesting fact about this tree, there has to be a male and female tree for the tree to produce the fruit.  How can you tell the difference between trees?  You have to wait until the flowers come out in the spring.  It’s all in how the flowers are attached to the branch.  All hunters need to go out early October to find the female trees to hang their stand. Deer also like the persimmons.

The fruit is round, spicy-sweet when ripe, yellow to deep red with flat seeds.  To get the pulp from the fruit it must first be run through a food mill to separate the skin and seeds.
The pulp can be frozen.  Nutritionally the persimmon is high in vitamins A and C.

American Persimmons for Cake                                           

Trees are harder to find now in the wild, unless you know where to go.  One time we found a tree down by Lake Monroe, south of Bloomington, Indiana.  The best spot we have now to gather persimmons belongs to a favorite aunt.  My husband has eyed the tree for this year and it is loaded and hanging heavy.  The following recipe is from Aunt’s Recipe Collection.

American Persimmon Cake

American Persimmon Cake

Julia Ann

A fruit favorite in the fall, particularly in the midwest. Recipes abound for pudding, cookies, cakes and even a fudge recipe. This is a soft moist cake or pudding. Serve it with whip cream or vanilla ice cream

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
• In a medium bowl, add flour, sea salt, cinnamon, soda; whisk to blend. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Add the persimmon pulp and blend.
• Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour milk, beat after each addition.
• Add the vanilla.
• Pour into the prepared 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
• Bake 45 minutes or when cake tester is inserted, it comes out clean.

Notes

*To make sour milk: 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or apple cider in 2 cup measure; add milk to 2 cups. Let stand 5 minutes to allow milk to sour.
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American Persimmon Cake

Julia Ann andcookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

©2007-2018  Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com.  All rights reserved.