This delicious persimmon pudding is delightfully moist and chewy. It’s loaded with naturally sweet persimmons and has the most beautiful aroma of brown sugar and cinnamon. Persimmon pudding cakes topped with whipped cream and sliced persimmon fruit.

What does persimmon taste like?

Persimmons have a very mild and sweet taste, like pumpkin sweetened with honey. Certain types of persimmons, like Hachiya, can have a very unpleasant, chalky taste if not fully ripe. But once completely ripened, the texture is silky and watery like applesauce and quite enjoyable to eat. Other types, like Fuyu, can be eaten while the fruit is still a little firm.

What is persimmon pudding?

Persimmon pudding is an American dessert made with persimmons. It’s very moist, sweet, and dense in texture, similar to an English toffee pudding. It’s often served with ice cream, whipped cream, or hard sauce. Five slices of persimmon pudding on plates, two topped with whipped cream and persimmon slices.

Why this recipe is so great:

  • Packed with fruit – For those who are lucky enough to have a persimmon tree in their backyard, this is a great way to use a lot of that lovely fruit. For those who love persimmon, well then this dessert was made for you, because it’s jam-packed with it.
  • Easy to make – All you have to do is mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, combine the two, and bake! Easy peasy.
  • Mouthwatering good – There are only 4 tablespoons of butter in this 13 x 9″ cake, yet it’s rich and dense like a brownie. With the mild taste of persimmon fruit, brown sugar and cinnamon were added to bring a warm depth of flavor to the pudding cake. The taste is fruity and sweet with a hint of molasses and spice. It’s super moist and has a nice contrast with the added walnuts or pecans to balance the chewy texture.
  • Here are some reviews:

“Made this yesterday. My family can’t stop eating it. Great recipe and helpful information on working with persimmons!” -Mary

“It’s awesome! I’ve waited all year to have persimmons again to bake this wonderful cake. It’s my boyfriend’s fav cake. Thank you for ur fantastic recipe!” – Shireen

“I LOVE this recipe. Have made it at least a dozen times and works every time. Haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love it, even those who don’t like persimmons.” – Belinda Persimmon pudding in a glass casserole dish.

Ingredients you’ll need:

  • Overripe persimmons
  • Unsalted butter
  • Eggs
  • Granulated & brown sugar
  • Vanilla extract & ground cinnamon
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder & salt
  • Walnuts or pecans

How to make persimmon pudding:

(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below) process picture collage of how to make persimmon pudding

  1. Remove any seeds and lightly puree the persimmon pulp to break apart the seed casings using a stand or handheld blender. Measure out 2 cups for the pudding.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the persimmon pulp, butter, eggs, sugars, and vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Sift the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir by hand until combined. Fold in the chopped nuts.
  4. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13″ glass baking dish. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Expert tips:

What type of persimmon to use:

Any type of persimmons that gets soft when ripened, like Hachiya, Sharon fruit, or wild American persimmons are best to use for this recipe.

How to ripen persimmons:

The old trick my mom taught me was to place the unripe persimmons in a plastic or paper bag with an apple. The natural ethylene gas released from the apple will help ripen the persimmons quickly, in about 3-6 days.

How to make persimmon pulp:

Remove the stem and break or cut the fruit in half. Remove any hard black seeds and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Then using a stand or handheld blender, pulse the fruit a few times to break up the seed casings. And there you have it, persimmon pulp. A slice of persimmon pudding topped with whipped cream on a light gray plate.

FAQ:

Where did persimmon pudding originate?

In the state of Indiana, where wild persimmons are native to the region. Persimmon festivals are also popular in the area, where they host persimmon pudding contests. Some recipes go as far back as 150 years.

Does persimmon pudding need to be refrigerated?

It can be kept at room temperature for a day or two, but after that, it should be refrigerated because the cake is quite moist.

Can persimmon pudding be frozen?

Yes, persimmon pudding freezes well. Tightly wrap the cake in a double layer of plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature or warm up slices in the microwave before serving.

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Persimmon Pudding Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews
  • Author: Lily Ernst
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 45 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 min
  • Yield: 18-24
Print Recipe

Description

A dense, moist, and chewy spiced pudding cake made from the delicious persimmon fruit.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (500ml) persimmon pulp (about 3 large, 4 medium, or 6 small fruits)
  • 4 tbsp (60ml) melted unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (200g) lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar (see notes*)
  • 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) salt
  • 1 tsp (5ml) ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (125g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 x 9″ glass baking pan and set aside.
  2. Remove the stem and break or cut the fruit in half. Remove any hard black seeds and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Then using a stand or handheld blender, pulse the fruit a few times to break up the seed casings. Measure out 2 cups.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the persimmon pulp, butter, eggs, sugars, and vanilla.
  4. In a separate bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
  5. Sift the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir by hand until combined. The batter will be lumpy. Fold in the chopped nuts and pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
  6. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the edges start brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil and continue baking until done. Enjoy with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Notes

*Most readers love this recipe as is. Though I have received feedback from a few readers that have reduced the amount of granulated sugar by half (or even omitted it altogether) because they found the cake too sweet. So depending on how sweet your persimmons are and your taste preference, feel free to adjust the amount of granulated sugar accordingly.

 

Leftovers can be tightly covered and stored at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

  • Category: dessert
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: persimmon pudding recipe, persimmon pudding cake

This recipe was originally published on November 16th, 2018, and has been recently updated with new photos and more information.

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