http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-best-holiday-cake.html
The Best Holiday Cake
I bake all year long–from humble frumpy muffins to crazy-lady, six-layer, Dr. Seuss-ish birthday cakes for my kids. You name it, I’ll bake it. But I have to say, there is one thing that I bake that, yes, takes the cake: The very beloved Clementine Cake that I posted last year. This is the one thing I make that gets more recipe requests than anything else. Once someone makes it, it’s as if it becomes a member of their family–they adopt it, love it, care for it, and make room for it on the table year after year.
The recipe is inspired by a similar one from Nigella Lawson in How to Eat (Wiley, 2002), and it is a soul soothing thing–both to bake and to eat. The flourless cake has only five components–an ingredient list that short will bring a flutter to any baker’s heart! The main ingredients are almonds and clementines (a type of tangerine). How lovely is that? Almonds and clementines! Add some eggs to bind, some sweetener to sweeten, some baking powder to leaven–and voila, the best holiday cake.
While I do find the simplicity of the recipe super seductive, there is something undeniably comforting about the process–which involves simmering whole clementines on the stove for two hours. (What is it about simmering that feels so nice?) Once cooked, the clementines are added whole–no peeling or prep work, just plop them into the mix. Lastly, of course, is the finished product: An exceedingly moist cake that is wonderfully (but not too) dense, yet absolutely vibrant with citrus.
You can see the Clementine Cake recipe here. I really think you will love it. I will be making it this year, as always, but I have been tinkering around with another version as well that swaps out persimmons for the clementines. There is no simmering fruit for two hours, so it is a quicker cake–and although it’s wonderful, it gets the title of “The Second Best Holiday Cake,” as my heart remains with the darling clementines. Nonetheless, persimmons are really pretty special–I don’t know, maybe there can be two awards for “The Best Holiday Cake”?
Persimmon Almond Cake
1 pound very ripe persimmons
6 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (or Sucanat, read about natural sweeteners)
2 1/3 cups ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat the oven to 375F.
1. Slice the persimmons in half and scoop out the flesh, place in a food processor and briefly pulse, then add remaining ingredients and pulse to a pulp.
2. Oil an 8-inch springform pan and pour mixture in. It is a very, very wet batter.
3. After 40 minutes, cover with foil to prevent top from burning. Cake is done after about an hour total, or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. Once cool, remove from pan. It can be served immediately, but improves after one day.
5. Serve with creme fraiche, whipped cream or Greek yogurt if you like.
Robyn
Melissa
Deepak
Eric
Dave
Dr. Brent
Isha
Susan
Delia
Michelle
Wendy
Megan
Hilary
Ann
Judi
Ronnie
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Andrew
Jana
Annie B.
Veronica
13 comments
add your comment »does this recipe need some flour at all????
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These cakes sound fabulous but, as said requested earlier, I would like to veganize it too. If anyone has figured out a successful vegan version of this please share. Thank you.
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Yep, Happy - definitely include the skins! I have tried a similar recipe using oranges - skins and all! - and it was delicious!
The ground almonds do make it expensive, but worth it if you want to make something special that is gluten-free.
Sorry - I don't know the answer to the other questions!
Sally
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Do you really inclulde the skins as well? Doesn't that give it a bitter taste? What is the purpose of using the skins? Thanks,
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This is so tempting! But I'm intolerant to eggs.... Would this recipe work if I use some egg replacement, like applesauce, ground flax seeds or silken tofu?
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Actually my pulp is from Hachiya persimmons from my grandparents backyard. I grew up on these persimmons, and they can only be eaten once they are completely ripe, otherwise they leave an awful bitter taste in your mouth. So to preserve your bounty, you scoop out the pulp and freeze it until you can use it.
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How much pulp does 1 pound of persimmons produce? I already have pulp that I have in 1 cup increments in my freezer. I'd love to use what I have in this cake, but I need to know the equivalence of pulp. Also can you use something else instead of 6 eggs? I'd like to veganize it. Thanks
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The recipes sound delicious, but why are they green? Seems the clementines in my store are shipped fom Spain and almonds from California. Then you are running the stove for 2 hours to simmer them. The persimmons in this recipe must be the Oriental type, also from California. There is no way of cutting and scooping the native one, which is what it sounds like Shannon G. has.
Cathy
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One more thing, how many almonds do you need to produce over 2 cups of ground? Wow sounds expensive. Thanks
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How much pulp does 1 pound of persimmons produce? I already have pulp that I have in 1 cup increments in my freezer. I'd love to use what I have in this cake, but I need to know the equivalence of pulp. Also can you use something else instead of 6 eggs? I'd like to veganize it. Thanks
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