It’s fall. And that means PERSIMMONS ARE BACK! OK, so most people think Pumpkin Spice when fall arrives; I think Persimmons! When ripe, persimmons have an almost melt-in-your mouth texture with a delicately spiced flavor that has a hint of cinnamon. This has become one of my favorite fall fruits, and if you have followed my website, you know I have posted other persimmon recipes, such as Persimmon Cake with Persimmon Syrup, Mango Filling, Buttercream Frosting, and Dried Fruit; and the gluten free version: Gluten Free Persimmon Cake with Persimmon Syrup (opt.), Mango Filling (opt.), Buttercream Frosting, and Dried Fruit (opt.). The Vegan version is coming soon, as is Persimmon bread and the gluten free versions. But for now, the focus is on Diabetic Friendly Persimmon Cupcakes with a Persimmon Syrup Filling. And at less than 19 grams of carbohydrates per cupcake, they can be safely incorporated into most diabetic diets.
This recipe is presented as a suggestion and may not be appropriate for all diabetics. Please check with your doctor or dietitian to determine if food items made using this recipe can be safely incorporated into your diet.
The Inside Scoop
When I first set out to create diabetic baked goods, I knew I had to do something about the flour mix. All-purpose flours typically contain 21 grams of carbohydrates per 1/4 cup- far too many carbs to allow room for additional ingredients. My Diabetic Flour Mix was the result of extensive experimentation to produce a flour mix that was high in fiber, high in protein, low in carbs and tasted good!
These cupcakes are very low in carbohydrates. They are so low, I swapped out some of My Diabetic Flour Mix for whole wheat pastry flour. The whole wheat pastry flour increased the carbohydrate content, but also created a smoother texture. And the finished cupcake is still below 20 grams of carbs per serving.
When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of Splenda is 24 grams. By volume, this measure will be less than 1 cup. Precise measuring is essential for diabetic baking to ensure accurate carbohydrate counts.
Time to Get Eggcited: Warm eggs hold more air than cold eggs. Warm eggs are also easier to whisk. To warm eggs quickly, place the eggs, still in the shell, in a bowl of very warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes.
Crack the egg into a small bowl before adding to the batter. That way, it is easy to remove any bits of eggshell or a bloody egg. Whisk the egg to break up the protein.
Persimmons: Lovely Taste, “Temperamental” to Work With: For this recipe, it is necessary to puree the persimmons, as chunks of persimmon will cause the cupcakes to sink. However, fully ripened persimmons contain a lot of water, and that excess water can also cause the cupcakes to sink. To remove the water content of the persimmons, place several sheets of newspaper on a baking sheet; cover with at least 3 layers of paper towels. Spread the persimmon puree on the paper towels and let sit for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the paper towels can absorb excess moisture. There should be ¾c./ 180 grams of persimmon left; place in a small bowl and set aside.
Mixing Things Up: In a medium/large bowl, whisk together My Diabetic Flour Mix, whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, orange zest, Splenda Granulated, and granulated sugar. Mix until leaveners and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour. This helps to ensure an even rise. Make a well in the middle; set aside.
Add the canola oil, pureed, drained persimmons, lo-fat buttermilk, and orange extract to the whisked eggs; whisk together, then pour the egg mixture into the well in the flour mix. The well helps to distribute the wet ingredients more evenly throughout the dry ingredients. Because My Diabetic Flour Mix has such a high protein content, it is essential to gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until there is very little dry flour. Vigorous stirring will cause gluten to develop and produce a very tough-to-chew cupcake.
Wheat bran and wheat germ do not absorb liquid easily. To avoid an excessively gritty taste, the batter needs to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the moisture. I usually cover my batter bowl and refrigerate the batter overnight.
To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 regular size cups of cupcake/muffin tins with paper cupcake liners; spray the cupcake liners with non-stick cooking spray to prevent the cupcakes from sticking to the liner.
Spoon 50 grams/ 1 ¾ ounces of cupcake batter into each cupcake paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-21 minutes, until an instant read thermometer reads 210-215 degrees, or a metal cake tester, when inserted into the middle of a cupcake, comes out clean. Toothpicks are less effective at testing for doneness as the unique characteristics of My Diabetic Flour Mix can create a false impression that the cupcake is done when it is actually still under-baked.
Preparing the Soaking Syrup: When baked, persimmons lend a very delicate flavor to the baked item. The Soaking Syrup greatly enhances the persimmon flavor.
While the cupcakes bake, prepare the persimmon filling syrup: Crown, peel, and core the syrup persimmons. Place them in a small food processor or blender and puree until smooth, then press the persimmon puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove any fibers or small seeds. Although pressing the puree through a sieve is not essential, it creates a far more visually and texturally satisfying puree.
Pour 60 grams/ ¼ cup of the sieved puree into a small, microwave safe bowl. Add the Splenda Granulated; stir. Microwave at 50% power for 30-40 seconds, until Splenda is completely incorporated and syrup is hot and just starting to boil. Again, press the heated syrup through the fine mesh sieve to create a very smooth syrup.
To Assemble: Let the cupcakes cool, still in the cupcake tin, for 5-10 minutes. With a #12 piping tip, insert the small end of the tip about ½” – ¾” into each cupcake and remove a small plug. It is important that the cupcakes still be in the cupcake tins so that they do not break under the pressure of having the plug removed.
Fill a piping bag with the persimmon syrup, insert into the hole in the cupcake, and fill.
Note: All of the soaking syrup will probably not be used, but is needed for the piping bag.
If a piping bag is not available, use the end of a small funnel to remove a plug from each cupcake, then use the funnel so that the syrup can be poured into each cupcake.
If the syrup begins to cool before you are ready to use it, warm the syrup in the microwave for 8-10 seconds. Let the cupcakes remain in the cupcake tins until they are completely cooled.
Just before serving, top each cupcake with 5 grams/ 2 T. Whipped Topping of choice.
A moist persimmon cupcake filled with a thick persimmon syrup. At only 115 calories and fewer than 19 grams of carbohydrates per cupcake, this is a wonderful dessert for both diabetics and non-diabetics. Directions: Crown, peel, and core the persimmons. Place persimmons in a small food processor or blender, puree until smooth. Place several sheets of newspaper on a baking sheet; cover with at least 3 layers of paper towels. Spread the pureed persimmon on the paper towels and let sit for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the paper towels can absorb excess moisture. There should be ¾ c./ 180 grams of persimmon left; place in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium/large bowl, whisk together My Diabetic Flour Mix, whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, Splenda Granulated, and granulated sugar. Make a well in the middle; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the canola oil, pureed, drained persimmons, lo-fat buttermilk, and orange extract; whisk together. Pour the egg mixture into the well in the flour mix. Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until there is very little dry flour. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 10 regular cupcake papers into a muffin/cupcake tin; spray cupcake papers with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon 50 grams/ 1 ¾ ounces of cupcake batter into each paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-21 minutes, until an instant read thermometer reads 210-215 degrees, or a metal cake tester, when inserted into the middle of a cupcake, comes out clean. While the cupcakes bake, prepare the persimmon filling syrup. Crown, peel, and core the syrup persimmon. Place in a small food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Press the persimmon puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove any fibers or small seeds. Pour 60 grams/ ¼ cup of the sieved puree into a small, microwave safe bowl. Add the Splenda Granulated; stir. Microwave at 50% power for 30-40 seconds, until Splenda is completely incorporated and syrup is hot and just starting to boil. Press the heated syrup through the fine mesh sieve to create a smooth syrup. To Assemble: Let the cupcakes cool, still in the cupcake tin, for 5-10 minutes. With a #12 piping tip, insert the small end of the tip about ½” – ¾” into each cupcake and remove a small plug. Fill a piping bag with the persimmon syrup, insert into the hole in the cupcake, and fill. If a piping bag is not available, use the small end of a small funnel to remove a plug from each cupcake, then use the funnel so that the syrup can be poured into each cupcake. If the syrup begins to cool before you are ready to use it, warm the syrup in the microwave for 8-10 seconds. Cool completely. Just before serving, top each cupcake with 5 grams/ 2 T. Whipped Topping of choice. Note: All of the soaking syrup will probably not be used, but is needed for the piping bag. Total: 1138.165 calories, 188.16 grams of carbs, 67.026 grams of fat Per Cupcake: 114 calories, 18.82 gram of carbs, 6.70 grams of fatDiabetic Friendly Persimmon Cupcakes with a Persimmon Syrup Filling
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Instructions
Diabetic Flour Mix
Ingredients by Weight Grams of Carbohydrates
30.0g./ 4T Sprouted Whole Wheat
Or Whole Wheat Flour 21.0g.
27.5g./ 5T Wheat Germ* 12.5
16.0g./ 4T Wheat Bran* 7.0
7.0g./ 1T Amaranth *** 4.75
11.0g./ 2T Oat Flour** 10.0
Total: 91.5 g per cup 55.25 grams of carbohydrates per cup of flour
* Grind in a coffee grinder or a grinder specifically for grinding grains
** Look for oat flours with lower carbohydrate counts
***Amaranth can be found among gluten-free flours or at health food
stores. If not, substitute cornstarch, potato starch or tapioca starch, although the carbohydrate content is slightly higher.
Nutrition Information Per Cup:
Total Carbs: 55.25 g.
Total Fat: 4.75 g.
Total Fiber: 16.13 g.
Sugar and “other”: 23.00 g.
Protein: 17.10 g.
To make a larger batch to store for future use:
Ingredient x5
Sprouted Whole Wheat
Or Whole Wheat Flour 150.0g.
Wheat Germ 137.5g.
Wheat Bran 80.0g.
Amaranth 35.0g.
Oat Flour 55.0g.
Total weight for 5 cups: 457.5 g.
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