This is hands down one of the easiest and most densely earthy and rich winter cakes you can make. Being from the US, when I first heard my grandma say she was going to make her persimmon pudding, I pictured a bowl of actual pudding: the jiggly stuff that my sister and I loved to make from instant pudding packets, our patience tested by the 3-minute stirring time needed for the artificial flavors and colors to thicken into a goop that we would greedily spoon out while watching afternoon shows. Oh no, as any commonwealth citizen will attest, pudding is something quite different, and much broader than just a bowl of custardy goo. This persimmon pudding is just that. It does actually have a bit of a pudding-like texture, deeply indulgent with three cups of over-ripe persimmons and mounds of brown sugar and eggs. It’s one of those desserts that seems like it originated in a castle somewhere, along with spiced quail and other rich desserts served with fresh cream. Upon further research, however, it seems that Indiana (best known for extensive farmland and a particularly notable auto race) lays claim to this locally-renowned dessert. Congrats, Hoosiers (because, as I’ve also just learned, folks from Indiana are not called Indianans as you might expect, they’re called Hoosiers. Look it up).
But I digress. The main point here is that my grandmother makes a wonderful persimmon pudding, and this recipe is inspired by it so that all of you reading this might try the simplicity and utter melt-in-your-mouth, spiced, and richly-winter dessert. There are lots of other recipes for the same thing, though many are more cake-y (a bit drier and just with a hint of persimmon) or more complicated (steamed puddings or cooked in a water bath much like the traditional British Christmas or Quince puddings). This one is, in my opinion, the richest of them all, and the simplest (so obviously, the best choice). It’s absolutely divine served with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream, though you can also spoon out a large helping and just eat it warm while watching the leaves, or snow, fall outside. However you take your cake.
The persimmon is a fascinating fruit – and rather mild when it comes to flavor, making it the perfect star ingredient for an infinitely dense dessert that pulls you into it’s spice-laden depths like any good winter treat. A note for this recipe: make sure the persimmons you’re using are quite literally, mush. The best persimmons for this are ones that have been sitting on your windowsill for five or six days and are losing their shape, melting in on themselves, but of course not rotten or moldy. You’ll be surprised how incredibly squishy these orange globes can get before they’re beyond use. Do NOT use under-ripe persimmons. The recipe will not work. With that said, have fun, enjoy your persimmon pudding, and do what tastes good!
Gluten Free Persimmon Pudding
Equipment
- 9×9 inch pan
Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 Cup mashed persimmons top removed but skin on (3-4 VERY ripe – almost mush – either hachiya or fuyu persimmons, recipe does not work with underripe persimmons) – no need to peel them!
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 tsp melted butter
- 1/2 Cup whole milk
Dry ingredients:
- 3/4 Cup gluten Free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum
- 1/4 Cup almond meal
- 1/4 tsp each ground nutmeg and ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 Cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 Cup each of raisins and chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300° Fahrenheit and then grease a 9×9 inch square pan (or 9 inch round pan) with butter or cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat together all of the wet ingredients with an electric mixer and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients and add in the raisins and chopped walnuts. Once combined, add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Pour the mixture into the greased pan and then bake for 60 minutes (one hour) or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Best served warm (not hot) with vanilla ice cream.
Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your cake!
Food photography and styling by Amelia Farber
10 Comments
Jen
Great recipe and super easy for someone who does not like being in the kitchen😅 I also love the fact that it is not overly sweet like most American desserts tend to be…
The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is that it did not hold together well – it tasted awesome, though! This could be because I did not have gluten-free flour with xanthan gum and would not know where to find it in a pinch so I substituted whole wheat flour. And since I was not particularly seeking out a gluten-free recipe but merely something low-carb with high-protein, I don’t see myself buying gluten-free flour with xanthan gum any time soon.
What is the proportion of xanthan gum to flour in this gluten-free flour, could I substitute it with cornstarch and whole wheat in similar proportions?
Thank you much!
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Kathryn A Murphy
Hello,
This recipe looks great, and I will try it as soon as my persimmons ripen! I wanted to make sure that the recipe calls for 5 teaspoons butter, and not 5 tablespoons? I have never seen a recipe with butter measured in teaspoons. Thanks!
Amelia Farber
Hi Kathryn! Good checking – it is a bit of an odd one! It’s an old family recipe and it’s definitely teaspoons, not tablespoons!
cassidy
This truly is the simplest and most delicious recipe for desert, I will cherish my first persimmon pudding bite forever. You deserve more stars, I have so many persimmons to use up from our farmers market as they ripen!! So thank you
Amelia Farber
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, Cassidy!! It’s a family favorite and such an easy one! So glad you enjoyed it!
Tristan
Lovely Fall desert
Tristan
DESSERT
Cassidy Strickland
I have it in the oven baking now!! It seems like it’s gonna be wonderful. I have never had a persimmon until this fall and didn’t know what to do with them. Since I don’t like wheat I’m grateful I could find your recipe, I’m so excited!! I also used brown coconut sugar and almost a cup of walnuts instead of raisins
Amelia Farber
Love it!! Definitely like the addition of walnuts too – great adding more texture! This is one of the only things we know how to make with persimmons but it’s a classic!