Cranberry-Persimmon Pie Cake is a simple, home-style dessert that's also a show-stopper. It's sweet. It's tart. It's got nutty crunch. It's perfect with ice cream or whipped cream. The dessert also is easy and fast to mix up, so it's great when you're short on time. If you've never tried persimmons, you should, and you can try either of the main types for sale here in the United States--Fuyus or Hachiyas--to make this dessert. Just let the persimmons get squishy ripe. Yes, squishy. You want them that way because they'll be super sweet, which will add to the sweetness of your pie cake. Why is the dessert a pie cake? Well, because it's a bit of both. The pie cake has a tart cranberry layer that oozes up the sides and a dense layer, almost pudding-like, that covers the cranberries. So the dessert actually falls into several categories. Nonetheless, never mind what you call it, the Cranberry-Persimmon Pie Cake is good. It's full of fall flavors and would be perfectly at home on your Thanksgiving table.
Cranberry-Persimmon Pie Cake -- Serves 6+
2 cups of cranberries, washed and picked over
2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons of melted butter
1/3 cup of canola oil
1 egg
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of persimmon pulp (2-3 persimmons)
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each of ginger and allspice
1/4 - 1/2 cup of broken pecans
1 tablespoon of sugar, optional
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, optional
Spritz a large pie dish with non-stick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the cranberries in the bottom of the pie dish and sprinkle the brown sugar over them. In a large bowl, whisk together well the melted butter, oil, egg, and sugar. Whisk or stir in the persimmon pulp. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, stirring them into the mixture just until completely incorporated. Pour the mixture over the cranberries in the pie dish. Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the batter and sprinkle on some extra sugar and a little cinnamon if you like. Bake the pie cake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and set. Let the pie cake cool 10-15 minutes before serving warm, preferably with ice cream.
