Listen, I love pumpkin and pumpkin spice just as much as the next girl. But fall is about more than just pumpkin! It’s also about crisp, juicy persimmons and meaty, sweet chestnuts. This sweet, buttery persimmon and chestnut bread incorporates two of my favorite, beautiful fall ingredients with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Oh yeah, and the topping. THE TOPPING. It’s adds a crunchy contrast to the tender crumb of the bread. It’s the best part. I should warn you, don’t test the topping when you pull these loaves out of the oven. You will end up picking all of the crunch off the top and you’ll end up with a naked loaf.
Nope, that’s not a tomato. That’s a really pretty persimmon! Have you tried persimmons before? Their flavors are a bit difficult to describe. There are two common kinds. This is a Fuyu persimmon, which is vaguely like a cross between an apple and a pear. The other common variety is a hachiya persimmon, which is custardy and sweet when ripe.
This persimmon and chestnut bread is delicious at room temperature for an afternoon snack or lightly toasted for breakfast. It’s perfect with coffee or tea. Or ice cream. Yup, I said it. Vanilla ice cream.
One year ago: DIY cork-decorated coasters are practical AND cute.
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 4 tablespoons of oil (I used vegetable, but I bet pumpkin or any nut oil would be terrific!)
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 ripe Fuyu persimmons, cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 1 cup roughly chopped roasted chestnut meat (can use jarred or canned ones in a pinch)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
- Use a stand or handmixer to cream the butter and sugar until light-colored and fluffy.
- One at a time, mix in the eggs, scraping down the side after each addition. Mix in the oil. Remove from the stand mixer, if using.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a separate bowl. Use a sturdy spatula or a wooden spoon to incorporate the flour mixture 1 cup at a time. The batter will be quite thick, more like a cookie batter (but don't panic!).
- Fold in the persimmons and chestnuts until well-distributed. Divide the batter between the two pans.
- Add the crunch topping ingredients to a medium bowl. Use your fingers to combine the ingredients into a thick paste. Pull off small pieces of the sugar mixture and distribute over the top of both loaves.
- Bake for about 1 hour, checking after 45 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Yields 2 loafs in 8x4 inch loaf pans.
I used to think I hated persimmons because of a terrible experience as a child, but when we went to Tokyo, they were all over the place and I was ALL about them. This loafs looks like such a unique and tasty take on fall. <3 it.
Thanks, Sarah! I wasn’t crazy about them either until moving here. 🙂