This simple walnut sponge cake is quite versatile and keeps well. You can increase the spices to taste and substitute other nuts if you wish. Serve with a dab of whipped cream or crème fraîche and any kind of seasonal fruit. This fall version calls for peeled firm Fuyu persimmons and bright red pomegranate arils for a gorgeous splash of color.

Walnut Cake With Persimmons And Pomegranate

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup/120 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan

• 1 cup/130 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

• 1 cup/100 grams toasted, roughly chopped walnuts

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 4 large eggs, whites and yolks separated and at room temperature

• 1 cup/200 grams packed dark brown sugar, plus more as needed

• 1/2 cup/120 milliliters butter milk or milk

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons rum or whiskey

• 3 or 4 small, firm Fuyu persimmons, peeled

• 1/2 cup/80 grams pomegranate arils

• Crème fraîche or softly whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil the sides and bottom of a 9-inch springform or cake pan. Place a parchment circle at the bottom of the pan and lightly oil the parchment. Dust with flour and shake off excess. Set the pan aside.

Place chopped walnuts in a bowl, and add flour, baking powder, ginger, salt, cloves and cinnamon. Stir and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff, about 2 minutes. With a rubber spatula, transfer the whites to a separate bowl.

Put egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add sugar and whisk on low speed until the sugar is dissolved. Then increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is thick and pale beige in color, about 5 minutes.

Beat in buttermilk, vanilla extract and rum, then slowly add the flour mixture at low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Slowly add 1/2 cup/120 milliliters olive oil and beat for a minute or so on low to combine. Using a rubber spatula, quickly fold in the reserved beaten egg whites. (First, fold in 1/3 of the whites to lighten the batter, then fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.) Scrape batter into the prepared cake pan, put the pan on a baking sheet and place in the oven on the middle shelf.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 30 minutes, then run a knife along the pan’s edge and invert onto a cake plate. The cake keeps well for several days.

Cut persimmons into small, 1/2-inch-thick wedges and put in a small bowl. Add pomegranate and a pinch of sugar, and combine. Let sit for just a few minutes.

Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Cut cake into wedges and serve with a spoonful of the fruit and a dab of crème fraîche or softly whipped cream.

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling, serves 8-10.

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