Layered Persimmon Cake
6-8
servings
Dessert
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Butter Cake
4
eggs, separated
3½ c
cake flour, sifted
1½ tsp
ground sarsparilla
1½ tsp
ground sassafras
½ tsp
ground cinnamon
½ tsp
ground nutmeg
¼ tsp
ground clove
1 tsp
salt
1 tbsp
plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
2
sticks of butter
2 c
sugar, divided
2 tsp
vanilla extract
1 c
milk
Persimmon Jam
2 c
persimmon puree
1 tbsp
lemon juice
1 c
sugar
2 tsp
pectin
salt, to taste
Chocolate Ganache
8 oz
high-quality dark chocolate (I used Valrhona 70%)
¾ c
heavy cream
2 tbsp
butter
salt, to taste
Malted Buttercream
6
egg whites
1½ c
sugar
1 lb
butter, softened
1
vanilla bean
¼ c
malted milk powder
This cake has it all: layers of spiced butter cake between persimmon jam, chocolate ganache, and malted buttercream. Get creative with the garnish, and add flowers, fresh persimmon slices, chocolate swirls, or really anything you’d like.
Directions
Butter Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare cake pans.
- Separate eggs and sift together flour, spices, salt, and baking powder.
- Begin creaming butter until soft, then add 1 1/2 cups of sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Incorporate yolks and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Alternate adding the flour mix and milk, starting and ending with the flour.
- In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and gradually add in the remaining ½ cup of sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter in two additions.
- Divide among cake pans and bake until a knife inserted comes out clean, about 20-30 minutes.
Persimmon Jam
- Combine the puree and lemon juice and bring up to a simmer in a sauce pot. Whisk together the sugar and pectin and incorporate it into the warm puree. Cook at a low heat until thickened and shiny.
Chocolate Ganache
- Chop chocolate into medium-size pieces and add the cubed butter. Bring cream just up to a boil. Pour the hot cream over chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Whisk the ganache until homogenized.
Malted Buttercream
- Combine egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Let stand over the water until the mixture is warm to the touch. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the butter in small increments. Keep whipping until the butter has completely incorporated and the frosting is fluffy. Add vanilla bean, malt powder and a pinch of salt.
To Assemble the Cake
- Slice the layers of cake in half. Alternate layers filled with the jam and chocolate ganache. Frost the cake with the buttercream. After layering is complete, finish off with a chocolate ganache layer on top. Garnish with flowers, meringue sticks, chocolate curls, fresh persimmon slices, or whatever you feel like.
Maya Okada Erickson
Maya Okada Erickson is the pastry chef at Langbaan in Portland, OR, and TASTE's first Baker in Residence. You can find her on Instagram as @tuilesfromthecrypt.