Persimmon Cake

Pictured: wild persimmon cake garnished with wild hickory nuts and mandarin oranges. 

Original recipe from Missouri Dept of Conservation.

Who isn't entranced by Autumn's vibrant colors, nippy winds, and all the warm and savory flavors that accompany it?  True, gardens are bursting with bounty at this time of year, but so is the wild edible landscape!  If you live in an area where persimmons bloom, educate yourself on tree identification and take a walk around.  You're sure to find branches laden with this rich red-orange fruit (free from the wild!), begging to be baked into your Sunday afternoon dessert.

Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1 c persimmon pulp (recipe below)
• 1/2 c oil
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 c water or milk
• 1 1/2 t vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1 t ginger
• 1/2 t salt

Frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 3/4 c powder sugar
• 1/4 c butter, softened
• 1 t vanilla
• orange slices to garnish (opt)
• wild pecans or hickory nuts to garnish (opt)

Directions:

1. To make persimmon pulp, gather about 2 c persimmons, chopped into fourths.  In a small saucepan over low heat, cover bottom with about 1 cm of water, add persimmons.  Sprinkle some opt cinnamon over top.  Let simmer about 30 min, mashing with a wire whisk periodically.  Add a little more water if necessary.  When water is gone and seeds come loose, remove from heat.  Once slightly cooled, pick seeds out of pulp (best done with gloves).
2. Preheat oven to 350.  Combine persimmon pulp and all other wet ingredients until well blended.  Whisk dry ingredients and combine with wet.
3. Pour into greased cake pans, bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  For a 9x9 pan, bake about 40 min.  For 9x13, bake about 30 min.  For 2 round cake pans, bake about 25 min.  
4. To make frosting, blend cream cheese until smooth, add sugar and blend until smooth.  Add butter and vanilla and blend again, adding more sugar if necessary for desired consistency.  Spread frosting on cooled cake, garnish with optional items.  Enjoy your wild edible dessert!