I first discovered persimmons back in college and have been obsessed with them ever since. While summer is the season best known for fruits {berries, mangos, passion fruit}, I’ve always had an equal passion for winter’s version of nature’s candy, such as pomegranates and the aforementioned persimmons. I recently decided to combine my two favorite aspects of winter – baking on chilly mornings & the fresh, seasonal produce – to create these vanilla persimmon cupcakes. Using a vanilla cake recipe with one cup persimmons + a fresh vanilla bean, it made for a buttery cake with just the subtlest hint of fruit. And to add to the fruit flavor, I cored the cupcakes and filled them with candied persimmons before topping them off with a persimmon buttercream. The end result was something sweet, fruity, and the perfect indulgence on the coldest of days.

Candied Persimmons
Ingredients
1 Persimmon, chopped
3 Tablespoons Granulated Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoons Butter

Recipe
1. Over a low flame, melt the butter.
2. Next, add the chopped persimmons and mix it into the butter until it fruit softens.
3. Finally, add in the brown sugar and coat it over the fruit.
4. Allow the fruit to simmer in the butter and sugar for five minutes, or until it’s softened and golden in color.
5. Enjoy!

Persimmon Buttercream
Ingredients
1 Cup Butter, room temperature
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Persimmon, chopped
1 Vanilla Bean

Recipe
1. Blend the butter, sugar, vanilla bean, and persimmons on high until whipped into a frosting.
2. Top over cupcakes.
3. Enjoy!

x Paris