Persimmon & Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Prior to this Monday I had never eaten a persimmon OR a pound cake. I had recently mentioned this to a few of my blogger buddies & apparently this was some kind of aberration that required immediate resolution. Always the multitasker, this seemed like the most immediate response to this foodie dilemma.

I have been finding a lot of unfamiliar produce at my farmers market lately: chestnuts (which are  uncommon in my part of the world), bright purple carrots & persimmons which I admit I have never eaten because of their strange tomato like appearance. 

It’s that childhood critique in me sticking out my tongue, scrunching up my nose saying “yuck! I don’t like it Mum, it looks WIERD!”

I can safely report however that persimmons are delicious & not the tiniest bit tomato like - especially when used to top a rich lemon ricotta pound cake. Something about the appearance of this cake seems to make peoples eyes bulge with desire, it is quite fascinating to watch. Make it & see for yourself.

Persimmon & Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups of plain flour
• 1/4 cup cornflour
• 2 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• zest of half a lemon
• thinly sliced persimmon to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180c/350f & grease and flour a 9″ loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl sift or whisk together all dry ingredients but sugar
3.  With your mixer cream together the butter, vanilla paste, ricotta, and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 2 min’s
4. Beat eggs in one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition
5. On low speed beat in the dry ingredients. Scrape down and beat for 30 seconds more
6. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth down with a spatula & tightly layer sliced persimmon long the center of the cake (As you can see it spreads quite a lot while baking, I should have really used 6 slices).  Bake for 40 minutes
7. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan & serving in generous slices