Persimmon Crumb Cake

Phoebe Thorburn -

The crumb cake - to my mind - is a fixture of America's baking scene. I didn't eat it growing up, but I did eat crumbles and teacakes - so the combination from fork to palette, feels friendly & familiar. Crumb cakes (or coffee cakes, as they're ironically called) involve a buttery cinnamon cake, topped with a simple sugar crumble and sweet drizzle. They're perfect with coffee, but really in anyone's afternoon cake-canon.

My grandmother made steamed persimmon puddings growing up, and they remain one of my favourite childhood desserts. This cake is an homage to those moist autumnal puddings, given a "snacking cake" twist.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 ripe persimmons (at least tender to touch), peeled & pureed into 230g pulp
  • 140g bobs 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (I make my own)
  • 150g castor sugar
  • 90g almond meal/flour
  • 90g brown rice flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1  1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1  1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 100g vegan butter, melted (or substitute for light flavoured vegetable oil)
  • 125ml unsweetened plant milk (less added gums the better)
  • 1  tsp vanilla
  • handful walnuts, roughly chopped

Crumb

  • 50g vegan butter, fridge cold
  • 40g brown sugar
  • 30g castor sugar
  • 60g brown rice flour
  • 50g almond meal/flour

Drizzle (optional)

  • 10g vegan butter OR unscented coconut oil, melted
  • 50g icing sugar
  • drop of boiling water

METHOD

  1. Preheat your oven to 160C/320F.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the bobs 1:1 flour blend, castor sugar, almond meal, brown rice flour, cinnamon, raising agents & salt. Make a well in the centre, and add the persimmon puree, melted butter, plant milk and vanilla. Whisk from the centre outwards until combined into a smooth, thick-ish batter. Fold through the chopped walnuts.
  3. In a separate bowl, add the Crumb quantities of butter and sugar and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until combined. Add the brown rice flour & almond meal and pinch together with clean fingers into a crumb topping. You're after a lumpy, uneven texture.
  4. Spread the batter into a 19cm/7.5inch square tin (or equivalent). Sprinkle the Crumble mixture over the top of the cake, covering the surface evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean, the cake has come away from the sides of the tin somewhat and has a slight amount of resistance when pushed with your finger. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before removing and setting aside on a cooling rack.
  5. Once the cake is room temperature make the Drizzle by combining the melted butter/oil with the icing sugar, adding a few drops of boiling water as you go to form a milk-shake consistency icing. Drizzle over the cooled cake with a spoon/fork and leave to set for 5 minutes before slicing & serving.