Persimmon Chocolate Cake

5 from 5 votes

This Persimmon Chocolate Cake is a moist chocolate cake flavored with warm spices and roasted persimmons. It's topped with indulgent brown sugar cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time30

Cook Time55

Total Time1 25

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 1099kcal

Author: Natalie

Equipment

Mixing bowls
Hand mixer
2 9-inch round cake pans
Oven mitts

Ingredients

Persimmon cake

3 fuyu persimmons skin on or peeled, cored, and cubed
juice from half a lemon
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup buttermilk
2 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch processed or natural cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (leave it at room temperature for at least an hour before making)
6 tablespoons butter room temperature
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted, plus more if needed
1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla
1 pinch salt

For Decorating (optional)

1-2 persimmons sliced or chopped, for the top and sides

Instructions

Persimmon Cake

Spray the bottoms and sides of two nine inch pans with baking spray and line bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the persimmons with the lemon juice and tablespoon of sugar. Spread the persimmons on the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes Allow to cool slightly then puree half the persimmons in a food processor or blender. Set aside. Reduce heat to 350 F.
In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, oil, and sugars until combined and creamy. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla.
With a spatula, stir in the buttermilk and the roasted chopped and pureed persimmon mixture followed by the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean or only with a few crumbs when inserted in the center or until cake springs back to the touch. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove them from the pans to cool on wire racks completely.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter on medium speed for one minute until creamed and combined. Add the brown sugar and mix on medium for another minute. Mix in the vanilla then turn the mixer on low and gradually mix in the powdered sugar.
Frost the cake. Press finely chopped persimmon bits on the bottom of the cake, if desired, and arrange slices on the top.

Notes

Persimmons: I prefer using fuyu persimmons for this cake. Fuyu persimmons have a subtly sweet flavor and are tomato shaped. Hachiya persimmons can also be used. If you use Hachiya persimmons, they should be ripe (not firm). Ripe Hachiya persimmons are very soft so they don't need to be roasted.

Frosting: Be sure to use room temperature butter and cream cheese for the frosting. I recommend using fresh brown sugar. Sift the powdered sugar to remove lumps.

Storage: Store this cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition