Homemade Persimmon Bread

Fall aromas have begun to fill the air in my kitchen. In September, I featured a delectable Homemade Apple Bread recipe that I learned to make with my friend’s mother, Señora Zambrano. When we were making it, she told me to keep an eye out for persimmons because once they came into season, the very same recipe could be used to make persimmon bread. Well, when I went grocery shopping last week I found some! Fresh persimmons are reminiscent of pears, dates and brown sugar and pair beautifully with the cinnamon, clove, and vanilla in this recipe, making for a perfect fall dessert!

Fuyu persimmons can be eaten hard like an apple and work well in this recipe!

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil work well)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups chopped Fuyu persimmon
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease two 1.5 quart bread pans (I used glass ones) and then set them aside. I like to use a combination of butter and flour to grease my dish.
3. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, clove, and baking powder.
4. Using a hand mixture, gradually add in oil, vanilla extract, and eggs. Once dry and wet ingredients are well blended after approximately 60 seconds, add chopped persimmon, raisins, and chopped nuts. Mix for another 45 seconds or until all ingredients are well blended.
5. Add mixture to greased baking dishes.
6. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes, or until you are able to insert a toothpick into the middle of the bread and it comes out clean. At this point, the top of your bread should be somewhat crispy, but the inside will remain moist.
7. Allow to cool, and then slowly invert onto a separate serving dish. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges before flipping it.
   
8. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and freshly sliced persimmons.
   

Note: Señora Zambrano just informed me that she madea combo recipe with apples and persimmons and that it’s divine!