If you like the idea of a fruity fudgy little chocolate cake then these mini persimmon chocolate cakes may be for you. They’re made with milk chocolate so as not to overwhelm the fragrant mango-like notes of the persimmon. But best of all, they’re finished with a white chocolate mascarpone topping.
The In Thing
The nights are drawing in, it’s cold, it’s damp, it’s dreary and it’s November. To defy this and to raise much needed funds, Cancer Research UK has a new initiative for this very month of November – do The In Thing and have a great night in with the girls. There are plenty of ideas for hosting a great night in with friends, colleagues and neighbours: embarrass yourself with karaoke, watch a film, feast your way through a dinner party or just have a good old chin wag. More ideas can be found on The In Thing web pages.
Cancer is a pernicious and devastating disease and I doubt there is a single family who has not been touched by cancer in some way or other. Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research and it is funded entirely by the public. Raising money for a worthwhile cause and having fun whilst you’re can be a win-win situation. Oh and by the way, there is still time to take part.
So this was the idea I had for a girl’s night in:
A games night. I love a good games night but haven’t had one of those in a very long time. Time to dust off that cupboard full of games. What fun. No night in is complete without some sort of food and drink, however. Snacks and gaming are a natural combination. Olives, nibbles and some chocolate cake!
Mini Persimmon Chocolate Cakes
I was sent some Dr Oetker goodies to help me on my way. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate were included along with some chocolate hearts; I was going to use them all.
Still experimenting with persimmons, I wanted to try this newly-discovered fruit in cake form. With its sweet mango-like flavour, I thought the persimmon would be best paired with milk chocolate rather than dark. I modelled the recipe on my rhubarb muffins and then took it up a notch by adding icing. For this, I envisaged a mascarpone and vanilla white chocolate ganache using the vanilla paste I recently reviewed.
These mini persimmon chocolate cakes had a pleasant, fudgy, pudding-like consistency. In fact, they tasted a bit like fudge too. Put another way, they tasted grand: sweet and fruity with the aforementioned fudgy notes, which I guess came from the chocolate.
And the mascarpone and white chocolate topping was equally grand, with those tell-tale flecks of fragrant vanilla which combined splendidly with the cake beneath. I was glad I’d opted for mini cakes as these might have been a bit too rich for a large cupcake, plus you can have a second one without feeling too guilty.
Extra Indulgence
For some real indulgence, I also made a chocolate Amaretto biscuit cake which I’ve now featured in an another post. Let’s just say it’s good.
Other Recipes For Little Fruity Cakes You Might Like
- Blueberry muffins (vegan)
- Ginger & pear honey cakes
- Nonnettes: rhubarb honey cakes (egg-free)
- Raspberry rose friands
- Red gooseberry cakes
- Strawberry cream cakes
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these mini persimmon chocolate cakes, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?
If you’d like more cupcake recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Mini Persimmon Chocolate Cakes. PIN IT.
Mini Persimmon Chocolate Cakes – The Recipe
Mini Chocolate Persimmon Cakes
Ingredients
- 85 g unsalted butter
- 100 g golden caster sugar
- 100 g milk chocolate (I used 35% cocoa content)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs – large (I used duck eggs)
- 225 g flour (half wholemeal, half white)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 100 g Greek yoghurt
- 1 soft ripe persimmon
- 80 g white chocolate
- 150 g mascarpone cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until very pale in colour and fluffy in texture.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and chocolate.
- Beat in the eggs one by one.
- Sieve in the flour and stir in alternately with the yogurt.
- Cut the persimmon in half and scoop out the flesh. Stir into the cake batter.
- Divide the mixture between two 12 hole mini muffin tins or cases. Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes, when the cakes should be risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
- Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over hot water.
- Stir the vanilla paste into the mascarpone, then mix in the chocolate.
- Spread the topping over the cakes and decorate as you wish (I used chocolate hearts).
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Linkies
I’m submitting these mini persimmon chocolate cakes to Let’s Party, a new blogging challenge from lovely Alida of My Little Italian Kitchen.
And as this was a bit of a Bake Fest, I’m submitting this to the challenge of the same name hosted over at Cook’s Joy.
Teresa says
Hello thanks for replying. Yes, I let the persimmons ripen first. Did you use a fan oven? I have followed other recipes by Nigella/Dan Lepard and 160 is usually the recommended temperature. Anyway, perhaps they are an acquired taste!
Choclette says
Hi Teresa. No I didn’t have a fan oven then and I don’t have one now either. But yes, it’s usually 160 for fan if it’s 180 for a normal oven. But no oven is ever the same it seems. I’m really sorry they didn’t work for you. I think I need to find some persimmons and try them again myself.
Teresa says
These looked so inspiring and, as I had bought some persimmons on offer, I really looked forward to making them. What a bad idea! Firstly, there was a huge amount of mix for ‘mini’muffin tins, so I had to use large cupcake size. Secondly, not sure if oven temperature was correct, as my cakes cracked, shrank away from the sides and were really heavy. I rarely have a culinary disaster and this was a major one. My boyfriend who is very appreciative tasted half a cake and wrinkled his face in disgust. I have had to put them in the food recycling bin and am hugely disappointed. Oddly enough, when I tasted the mix, before adding the yogurt and persimmon, it tasted like a delicious chocolate cake mix. I regret not sticking with a regular chocolate cupcake recipe. Any suggestions as to what went wrong? I bake frequently so am quite puzzled..
Choclette says
Oh no Teresa, I’m so sorry. I hate it when I have a failed bake, so I feel your pain. And we all hate waste too – both of time and ingredients. They are meant to be dense and fudgy rather than light and airy, so it might partly be an expectation thing. I can’t explain the cracking, except that oven temperatures vary and I’ve only made them as mini cupcakes.
Choclette says
Also were the persimmons properly ripe? They are horrid if not.
Dave Jackson says
looks really good cannot wait to try to make them
Choclette says
Thank you Dave
Anne Szadorska says
I kept meaning to come back and say whilst your mini cakes look fab, yesterday I baked for the first time with persimmons’ inspired by spotting this float onto my facebook page! I did an upside down cake with amaretti biscuits and was delicious! Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Choclette says
Sorry Anne, only just spotted this. Am intrigued by your persimmon upside down cake – wow!
Choclette says
Thank you Heather
David Shams says
Chocolate Amaretto biscuit looks really delicious – chocolate, nuts & biscuit cake great combination 🙂 Looking forward to your upcoming post 🙂
Choclette says
Thanks David. I’m a sucker for biscuit cakes, so try not to make them too often. This one was up there with the best.
Angie Schneider says
Love persimmons! Those cupcakes are so beautiful. Love Dr. Oetker’s products.
Choclette says
Thanks Angie. These persimmons have opened up a whole new world to me.
Jane Sarchet says
Not sure I should admit this, but I’ve so much as sniffed a persimmon. They are officially on my bucket list 🙂
Janie x
Choclette says
A bucket of persimmons would be good 😉
Alida says
Dear Choclette,
I love these chocolate treats. You have been very inventive here! I grew up with Persimmons (they are so addictive!) but I have never managed to make a proper cake/dessert with them. I love what you have done here. They are perfect for entertaining!
Thank you so much for entering your recipe in Let’s Party ( I am so excited about my first challenge!) X
Choclette says
Thank you Alida, I’m glad these are acceptable for your first party – looking forward to it 🙂
Torviewtoronto says
wonderfully done desserts looks wonderful
Choclette says
Thank you Torview
belleau kitchen says
games night with cupcakes… could there be anything better… I doubt it!… love those cupcakes, still not crazy about the persimmon but i’m prepared to give them a go just for you!
Choclette says
Dom, if you keep coming up with such wonders as prune and chocolate shortbread, I’m happy for you to forego the persimmon 😀
Amie says
Finally found a recipe with persimmon. Such a beautiful fruit that pairs so well with chocolate.
Thanks for the recipe.
Choclette says
Thanks for visiting and commenting Amie. This is the second recipe I’ve come up with. Both were good and I’m not sure which is my favourite.