Persimmon Upside Down Cake

Persimmon Upside Down Cake

Fall is here and so is persimmon season! A persimmon is a tree fruit that is native to China but trees were introduced to America in the late 1800s. They are bright orange in color and have the texture of an apple but can get soft and juicy like a plum as they ripen.

Enjoy the fruits of fall with this delicious cake that will leave your kitchen smelling of autumn. Thank you Edible Houston for the recipe!

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  • Yield: 8 servings

  • Prep time: 20 min

  • Cook time: 35 min

  • Total time: 55 min

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons solid coconut oil, plus an additional ¾ cup

  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar, plus another ⅔ cup

  • 2 persimmons, sliced into rounds about ⅛ inch thick

  • 3 medium Braswell Family Farms eggs, room temperature

  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

  • Zest of 1 large or 2 small lemons

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1½ cups all-purpose gluten-free baking flour

  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.

  2. Melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and spread evenly in the bottom of a spring-form pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar in an even layer on top of the coconut oil. Arrange the sliced persimmons on top of the sugar without overlapping the slices. Set the pan aside while you make the batter.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the remaining solid coconut oil and coconut sugar until it becomes lighter in color. Add in 1 egg at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice, then mix until everything is incorporated.

  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

  5. With the stand mixer running on low, begin to slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix until you have a thick, smooth batter with no remaining clumps of flour.

  6. Carefully pour the batter into your prepared pan over the persimmons. Smooth out the top, then gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to help the batter settle and to remove any air bubbles.

  7. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched and it begins to pull away from the sides.

  8. Cool the cake for at least 15–20 minutes before removing the outer ring of the pan and inverting the cake on a cooling rack to cool completely. This will help the caramelized sugar to release from the bottom of the pan as it hardens when cool. Serve with a bit of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you like.