This cake is wonderfully moist, fruity and spicy with a little bit of caramelized crunch around the rim. It is one of my favorite ways to use the Hachiya persimmons that grow in our yard.
Ingredients
2 sticks (8 ounces, 225 grams) butter, softened
1/2 cup (100 grams) packed dark brown sugar (I use muscovado.)
5 Tablespoons wildflower honey
2 Tablespoons raw pistachio nuts, unsalted
2 medium-sized very-ripe Hachiya persimmons
2 Tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (256 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
2 Tablespoons roasted pistachio nuts, for garnish (optional)
You will also need:
1 large cast iron skillet
Large spoon
Large mixing bowl
1 mixer
Rubber spatula
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celcius).
In a large cast iron skillet, melt one-half of the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and honey and stir well. Add the raw pistachio nuts and let cook for about two minutes, stirring well. Remove the skillet from the heat. Slice the persimmons cross-wise into 1/4″ rounds. Place the persimmon rounds in the pan in a circular pattern. Sprinkle the chopped crystallized ginger on top.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining butter for about 2 minutes until it is creamy in texture. Add the sugar and mix well to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl – the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt – and beat just until combined. Add the milk and mix well, scraping the sides of the bowl, as needed, with a rubber spatula.
Pour the batter over the persimmons in the cast iron skillet. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the middle springs back when lightly pressed.
Remove from the oven and let cook for about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the skillet to loosen the sides of the cake. Invert onto a cake plate and garnish with roasted pistachios, if desired. Let cool. Cover to store.
Serves 10-12.
