Persimmon cake with mandarin syrup

Persimmons and mandarins are fantastic at the moment.

The fruit melts down to a soft, juicy pulp, which is fantastic folded into cakes.

Mandarin juice cooked down to a syrup and drizzled over the cake has made this  my new favourite.

Serves 10

3-4 persimmons, peeled, roughly diced

1 Tbsp sugar

2 eggs

70g butter, softened

1½ cup brown sugar

½ cup caster sugar

250g flour

1 Tbsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ ground cardamom

Syrup

5 mandarins, zested and juiced

2 Tbsp sugar

4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

Method

Heat the oven to 180degC. Lightly grease an 18cm x 18cm cake tin with butter and baking paper.

Begin by making the persimmon pulp.

Add the prepared persimmons to a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Bring to the boil, then reduce and cook until the persimmons are very soft and pulpy (about 12 minutes).

Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Add the pulp, softened butter and both sugars to a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.

Sift the dry ingredients together and fold through the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

While the cake is cooking, make the mandarin syrup by putting the mandarin zest, juice, sugar, cardamom pods and a little water in a pot and heating until a syrup starts to form. This will take about 10 minutes. If it becomes too thick, add a little water. Set aside.

When the cake is cooked, prick the surface with a skewer and pour over the warm syrup. Allow it to soak in before cutting into it.

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