Triple Ginger Persimmon Loaf

Once a week during high season my mother would make her persimmon bread, a dense loaf cake with caramelized corners we’d warm in the toaster oven after school. The edges would almost burn, turning crispy from the combination of sugar and that intense toaster heat. We couldn’t spread the cream cheese on top fast enough, so much so that half of it would slide off while we burned the roofs of our mouths with each bite. Here is a slightly springier, lusher version that’s great fresh out of the oven, even better the next day—and best toasted, with a schmear of labaneh or cream cheese.

Makes 1 loaf

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

¾ cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan

3 medium (1 pound) very ripe persimmons, preferably Hachiya variety*

2 large eggs

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

1½ teaspoons freshly grated ginger

8-Hour Labaneh, or cream cheese, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a standard (4.5 x 8.5-inch) loaf pan with vegetable oil.

Cut off the tops of the persimmons. Scoop the ripe flesh into a large bowl and mash it with a fork or potato masher until very smooth, or puree in a food processor or blender for 10 seconds. Whisk in the eggs, water, vanilla, ¾ cup vegetable oil, and sugar until well blended. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Stir the dry ingredients into the persimmon mixture until just blended, then gently stir in the crystallized ginger and fresh ginger. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is slightly cracked, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan, slice, and serve with labaneh.

*Longer, tapered Hachiya persimmons get softer—and more quickly—than the rounder, smaller Fuyus, but both can work. Just make sure they’re really soft. If you need to, blitz the scooped flesh in a blender or food processor.