Persimmon Pudding (video)
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.
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.
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
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)
- 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.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the persimmon pulp, butter, eggs, sugars, and vanilla.
- 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.
- 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.
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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Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
PrintPersimmon Pudding Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 min
- Yield: 18-24
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
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
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 x 9″ glass baking pan and set aside.
- 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.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the persimmon pulp, butter, eggs, sugars, and vanilla.
- 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. The batter will be lumpy. Fold in the chopped nuts and pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- 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.
This recipe was originally published on November 16th, 2018, and has been recently updated with new photos and more information.
I made this recipe today and it was fantastic!!! Loved loved loved it!!! Thank you so much for sharing it. I made just one change to the recipe. I skipped the white sugar and I used 1 cup of turbinado sugar rather than the brown sugar (that’s what I had in my pantry). My husband who has a very sweet tooth thought that I could reduce the sugar a tad more. Next time, I will try just 3/4 cup of sugar. The persimmons were super sweet. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!
I love persimmons and this is the very first time I bake with them.
Hi Cherine,
You’re welcome and thank you for your kind words. I had another reader who also told me she reduced the sugar. I’m going try that next time to see the difference. Enjoy and have a lovely day:)
I was questioning on reducing the sugar by a quarter-will let you know.
Please do! I always appreciate feedback:)
Hi, Lily. Can I use a metal baking dish instead of glass? Thanks – making tomorrow for family gathering.
Yes, you can. Just line the pan with parchment to prevent scratching the pan when you slice the cake or leave an overhang to lift the cake out to cut. I hope you and your family enjoy the pudding cake as much as we do!
I’ve only seen the fuyu type in my area. Any suggestions of how to use them? I always eat them when they’re very firm, do I just wait until they soften like yours? Thanks!
Hi Crystal, I haven’t made this recipe using Fuyu persimmons, but yes, I would suggest waiting until they soften and purée well, so the pulp has the same consistency. Thank you for your question and let me know how it turns out. Have a lovely day:)
I adore persimmons, despite that here I eat them almost all year round, but In Russia they are sold usually during winter; and every time I eat it I think about cold winter))
Lovely recipe, Lily! Have a great week!
You are lucky to be able to enjoy them all year round. Thanks for the visit, hugs:)
wow this sounds so delicious! YUM!
Thanks and nice to meet you:)
Yummy! This looks so good!
Thanks Sarah, hugs:)
This looks like a perfect addition with, or even an alternative to, the pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner, or other Autumn meals! I really like the way they look! Everything looks so elegant yet inviting!
Thank you so much Dave. Enjoy the rest of the weekend:)
This looks so moist and yummm
Thanks SKD 🙂
I have never even thought of using persimmon in a cake. Sounds great!
Thanks Martina X:)
I baked with persimmon for the first time this autumn, I’m definitely going to do it more often (although mine took forever to ripen enough, it was like torture!), I’m going to have to try this one once I get my hands on some more. I’m definitely a persimmon convert (or kaki has my market called them)
Hey Michelle, a trick I learned from my mom on how to quickly ripen persimmons is to place the fruit in a plastic bag with an apple, the ethylene gas from the apple will help ripen the persimmons quicker, it seems to work:)
Ooh I will try that next time! Thanks for the tip 🙂
My favorite dessert at Fiesta Friday this week. Thanks
Thanks Tracey X:)
I love the look of this, even though I’ve never even tried a persimmon!
Thanks Claudia:)
Lily, I have never tried persimmon. I will have to experiment! Thank you for describing the flavor. I know I will like it!
You’re welcome Julie and have a great weekend:)
I too have a persimmon cake which surprised me at how good it is (made also with garam masala so doubly surprised). I am ready however to try a new recipe. I’m sure yours will be excellent.
Thanks Hilda, is your recipe posted? I would like to try it:)
Simply gorgeous! Just love persimmons and photographing them! 😀
Thanks Julianna, hugs:)
Hi! I just bought a few persimmon at the supermarket! Looks good! This will be my first time trying them! 🙂
Wonderful, let me know what you think, happy FF and have a great weekend:)
Thanks Lily u have a great weekend too !!)))
This looks lovely. I have just been cooking with persimmon myself, I love it’s deliciously sweet, smooth flavor and this looks a nice way to try it.
Thanks Caroline, its one of my favourite fruits.
I love those happy accidents! And I also love persimmons but have never baked with them. What a great idea, Lily! Thanks for sharing at FF! 😀
Thanks Tracy and happy FF to you too:)
Looks wonderfully delicious Lily!! I have never had persimmon, I thought it was a tomato at first haha 🙂
Tee hee that’s funny, thanks Arlene, hugs:)
Yum Lily, this looks FANTASTIC!
Thanks Jess, hugs:)
We’ve been enjoying persimmons this season and this cake looks heavenly!
Thanks Anjana, I think it has been a good season for persimmons because I have been seeing them on sale by the case every where. Thanks for visiting:)