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Wholesome Persimmon Bread with Walnuts & Cinnamon

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This Wholesome Persimmon Bread with Walnuts and Cinnamon is a quick and easy quick bread that’s perfect for fall gatherings. It’s moist, tender, and packed with the natural sweetness of ripe persimmons and the crunch of toasted walnuts.

Ingredients

  • Fuyu persimmons, very ripe (about 2 medium, mashed to yield 1 cup)
  • All-purpose flour, 1 ¾ cups (210g)
  • Granulated sugar, ½ cup (100g)
  • Light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50g), packed
  • Baking soda, 1 teaspoon
  • Baking powder, ½ teaspoon
  • Salt, ½ teaspoon
  • Ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons
  • Ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon
  • Unsalted butter, ½ cup (113g), melted and slightly cooled
  • Large eggs, 2, at room temperature
  • Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
  • Buttermilk, ¼ cup (60ml)
  • Walnuts, 1 cup (120g), roughly chopped
  • Optional: Turbinado sugar, 1 tablespoon, for sprinkling on top before baking

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center. While it’s heating, line your loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the exposed ends with butter or cooking spray.
  2. Toast the walnuts. Spread the chopped walnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast for 6-8 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. You want them fragrant and just slightly darker—watch closely because they burn fast. Let them cool completely while you prep the rest.
  3. Prepare the persimmons. Wash the Fuyu persimmons, cut off the top green cap, and roughly chop the flesh. Place the pieces in a bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher until you have a chunky purée. You should have about 1 cup. If it’s a little more or less, don’t panic—just adjust the moisture slightly by adding a tablespoon more flour if it’s very wet.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make sure the spices are evenly distributed—no one wants a pocket of pure cinnamon.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in the vanilla extract and buttermilk, then fold in the mashed persimmons. The mixture will look a little lumpy and that’s okay—it’s supposed to.
  6. Combine wet and dry. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together gently. Stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing will make the bread tough, and we want it soft.
  7. Fold in the walnuts. Add the cooled, toasted walnuts to the batter. Fold them in with just a few strokes. Reserve a small handful to sprinkle on top for a pretty presentation.
  8. Fill the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved walnuts and the turbinado sugar (if using) over the top.
  9. Bake. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, check the top—if it’s browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed.
  10. Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper overhang to lift it out and transfer it to the rack to cool completely. This is the hardest part—waiting. But slicing into a warm loaf will make it crumble, so be patient.

Notes

Don’t skip toasting the walnuts. Use very ripe persimmons. Measure your flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes before pouring into the pan. Check for doneness with a thermometer (internal temperature should be around 200°F/93°C).

Nutrition

Keywords: persimmon bread, walnut bread, cinnamon bread, quick bread, fall baking, easy bread recipe

Find it online: https://cookyep.com/wholesome-persimmon-bread-with-walnuts-and-cinnamon/