Persimmon Upside-Down Cornbread

Cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet and topped with a seasonal surprise — caramelized persimmons.

My nana’s tree is currently overflowing with the most delicious persimmons! I look forward to harvesting them every fall season, especially since the flavor is so much better than the ones from the supermarket. Lately I’ve been eating one every day, but I also can’t resist finding creative ways to bake with them. This upside-down cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet is sweet, tender, and just a little rustic — caramelized persimmons on top, golden crumb underneath, and pure fall comfort all around.

Fun fact: There are two common varieties of persimmons you are likely to come across: Fuyu and Hachiya. This recipe uses Fuyu as they are firmer and therefore sliceable to make a lovely topping on this upside-down cake. I didn’t have Hachiya on hand when I made the recipe, but if I did, I’d love to try swirling it into the batter for a stronger persimmon flavor!

Ingredients

For the Topping:

• 2-3 ripe fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

For the Cornbread:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup cornmeal

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or even better, vanilla paste)

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup whole milk

• ⅓ cup avocado oil (or any other neutral oil)

• 1/2 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)

Directions

1. Prepare the skillet and topping
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In an 8-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom evenly. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter, then arrange the persimmon slices in a single layer on top. Set aside.

2. Combine the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Mix the wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla, stirring until fully combined. Fold in the corn kernels.

4. Combine wet and dry ingredients
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir gently until just combined.

5. Assemble and bake
Pour the batter evenly over the persimmon layer in the skillet. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Cool and invert
Allow the cornbread to cool in the skillet for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, place a plate over the skillet, and carefully flip to release the cornbread, with the persimmon topping facing up.