Persimmon Bread with Walnuts & Bourbon
Submitted by Slim
Moist persimmon bread studded with walnuts and raisins, lightly spiced and finished with a touch of bourbon. The persimmons keep the loaves tender for days.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
60 minREADY
90 minThis persimmon bread is a seasonal quick bread that stays remarkably moist thanks to the natural sugars in ripe persimmons. The batter comes together in two bowls and bakes into two fragrant loaves that improve after a day or two.
Walnuts add crunch while raisins contribute little bursts of sweetness. A splash of bourbon in the wet ingredients deepens the flavor without overpowering the fruit. Because the recipe uses both all-purpose and pastry flour, the crumb stays soft rather than dense.
The loaves freeze well, so it is easy to make a batch and save one for later.
Pro Tips
- Use very ripe, soft persimmons for the best flavor and moisture. Underripe fruit can taste astringent.
- Stir the batter just until the flour disappears — overmixing develops gluten and makes the bread tough.
- If your persimmons are very watery, drain them briefly in a fine mesh strainer before measuring.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Variations
- Swap the bourbon for orange juice or apple cider for a non-alcoholic version.
- Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or cardamom along with the mace and cloves.
- Use pecans instead of walnuts, or omit the raisins if you prefer a simpler loaf.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9×5 inch (23×12 cm) loaf pans and line them with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, baking soda, salt, mace, and cloves.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until well combined. Add the softened butter, honey, brown sugar, and bourbon, and mix until smooth. Stir in the mashed persimmons.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula just until the flour is moistened. Do not overmix.
Fold in the walnuts and raisins until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the tops brown too quickly, loosely tent the pans with foil for the last 15 minutes.
Cool the loaves in the pans for 15 minutes, then lift them out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
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