It is a windy cold day today and I wanted to bake something nice and warming. I had a Tupperware container full of Persimmon pulp that I processed about a week ago. I am lucky to have the native persimmon trees out in my pasture. Fruit free for the picking! I wasn’t sure what I wanted to make. I thought scones or muffins. Then I stumbled across a pumpkin recipe from King Arthur’s Flour. Bingo. I substituted persimmon for pumpkin and voila, wonderful bread for a cold day. And as a bonus it also helped to warm up my kitchen. I love twofers.

• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
• 4 large Eggs
• 2 cups Persimmon Pulp
• 2/3 cup Water
• 3 1/3 All Purpose Flour or Bread Flour
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon grated Nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup chopped Nuts (Pecans, Hazelnuts, Walnuts) I used Butternuts that I forage on my property.
• ¾ cup assorted dried Fruit (Cranberries, Blueberries, Raisins, Currents etc)

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9” x 5” loaf pans.

In a large bowl beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, persimmon, water and vanilla extract. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Mix to combine.  Mix in the nuts and fruits. Spoon the batter equally into the loaf pans.

Bake for 60 to 80 minutes depending on your oven temperature and cook time, or until a toothpick comes out clean. I started checking about 70 minutes. Remove pans from oven and cool on a rack. Remove from pan and cool completely. You can dust with powdered sugar if desired.