Sticky date toffee cake with hot toffee sauce: Date cakes seem to be really popular in Australia. While it pales in comparison to the popularity of banana bread, This sticky date cake is by far the best cake I have ever baked with no chocolate in it. Chocolate cakes are my weakness and specialty but now I must add dates to the list. I always seem to have luck while cooking or baking with them.
This recipe is adapted from the brilliant book ‘A Passion for Baking’ by Marcy Goldman
from where I baked the Toblerone Shortbread, which many of you loved for its simplicity. This cake is not as straightforward but it was yummy with such little effort.
I took step by step pictures and then realised there are way too many pictures. I put them in collages although I am not a fan of posting steps like this. Hope it’s easy enough to understand, do leave your thoughts.
More easy cake recipes:
Orange cake
Chocolate truffle cake
Moist carrot cake
Banana cake with cream cheese frosting
- ¾ cups pitted dates
- ¾ cups water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (room temp)
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2 drops of vanilla extract
- Pre-heat oven to 350F / 180C
- Grease a springform cake pan or a normal round cake tin with butter
- In a saucepan, simmer dates in water and vanilla until they are soft and almost mushy (about 3-4 mins)
- Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. The mixture will foam a bit. Mix well and set aside to cool completely
- In a bowl, cream butter with both sugars and orange zest until fluffy
- Blend in eggs and then fold in flour, baking powder and salt
- Then add the dates and mix until well combined
- Then add the dates and mix until well combined
- Pour into prepared cake pan
- Bake for 40-50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. If the cake has crowned, cut off the top until the cake is level
- Bring brown sugar, cream and butter to a gentle boil and let simmer for 5-7 mins until the mixture thickens
- Remove from fire and stir in vanilla
- Poke holes over the cake and pour the sauce when still warm all over it
Step One
Pre-heat oven to 350F / 180C. Grease a springform cake pan or a normal round cake tin with butter.
Step Two
In a saucepan, simmer dates in water and vanilla until they are soft and almost mushy (about 3-4 mins). Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. The mixture will foam a bit. Mix well and set aside to cool completely.
Step Three
In a bowl, cream butter with both sugars and orange zest until fluffy. Blend in eggs and then fold in flour, baking powder and salt. Then add the dates and mix until well combined.
Step Four
Blend in eggs and then fold in flour, baking powder and salt.
Step Five
Then add the dates and mix until well combined. Pour into prepared cake pan.
Step Six
Bake for 40-50 mins, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. If the cake has crowned, cut off the top until the cake is level.
To Make Hot Toffee Sauce
Bring brown sugar, cream and butter to a gentle boil and let simmer for 5-7 mins until the mixture thickens. Remove from fire and stir in vanilla. Set aside.
Once the cake is done and when it’s still warm, poke holes with a skewer and pour the sauce over, allowing the cake to absorb it. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Loved the very idea of the cake 🙂 soooooo goooood
thank you!
Can i make this cake in a pressure cooker?
yes you can try for sure. please follow instructions in this pressure cooker cake post.
Loved the cake, baked it today and it turned out fab
thank you shilpa 🙂
is it ok to substitute the orange zest with lemon zest??
yes sure!
I saw this recipe yesterday (in fact i happened to see your blog yesterday and I am glad I did) and instantly I knew I had to try this. My 8.5 month baby in my womb told me he/she wanted it. So I made it today and OM… heavenly.. Thanks a lot for the recipe…
I saw the recipe yesterday (in fact I happen to see your blog yesterday for the first time) and i knew right then and there that I had to make it… I made it today and OMG… heavenly.. my husband loved it… 🙂 . Thanks a lot..
Ok recipe
innumkondu bakki ullathum theerthu ktta..:)
happa yummy yummy cake!..half of it will be off to M-r-i and b—gavi soon…:)
ya ya ya :)..bhadramayi irippondu :)..shakalam crumbilnu aditchu matti bakki bridgil onde..:)
yes yes, its our very own soda podi. will taste amazing 😀 you have brown sugar right?
At last I managed to get the cream from kottayam, vazhaka sugar n spice ;)..btw baking soda= soda podi?
Thank you…will try this ..will let you know how its turned out 🙂
Saw this on Tastespotting and had to stop by! How gorgeous is that cake!? Its so awesome because yours looks even better than the one in the book.
*kisses* HH
Thank you HH! Saw your blog and it rocks 🙂
Looks really inviting!!!
hey posted a comment yesterday …doesn't show up here..any alternative for eggs…want to make this eggless
drool! that cake's straight outta my favourite enid blyton stories
Looks really good dear 🙂 Yummy. Nice click too 🙂
lovely cake… like the toffee dripping all over the cake
I am loving the first pic. The angle and composition is awesome. Dates in cake sounds yumm..
Hello Rupa, sorry I missed the comment yesterday. Egg substitutes are there for cakes, my favorite being yogurt. You could try replacing the 2 eggs with 1/2 cup thick yogurt. Add in the place of eggs in the cake making process. Another option is this:
1 egg = 2 Tbsp. water + 1 Tbsp. oil + 2 tsp. baking powder
wow….what a treat for the eys….looks soo soo good!
This is my fav one..Nicely clicked.
OMG! i think u got it made toi perfection..looks absolutely wonderful
S-L-U-R-P!!!!!!
I'm catching the next flight to Singapore to grab a bite!!
Simply awesome re!!! 😀
Hi Nags,
Lovely clicks nags and looks so awesome….spongy and so delectable and i can almost smell the dates cooking!!
Shobha
Looks so yummy and mouthwatering..and with the toffee sauce..fabulous.
Now, you marry me…
Wow!!! Waiting for this recipe…cake luks perfect,yummy toffee sauce.too gud Pictures.
All i can see is toffee toffee and I'm drooling already! 🙂
I would make it immediately if it didnt have eggs in it . any suggestions for going eggless?
Ahh so you posted …tempted a lot with the pic itself…looks absolute fab ..some effort this cake huh 😉
Truly luscious, Nags! 🙂
Looks soooooooo yummy and mouthwatering.. Wonderful cake.Loved the last pictures..
Wonderful, delish and mouth watering cake. I love stickyness of it 🙂
Pictures looks so perfect, and the cake looks very tempting. I too have done this cake before for Hariraya for my neighbors.
Wish to have some bites from ur cake too..
Looks way too tempting with toffee sauce on it,I am loving this cake for the toffee sauce,delicious!Yum! All the step wise pictures are looking good too!
I luv dates in any form…this cake is too gud! Luved the first click v much…Stepwise looks organised and nice
this is wonderful..beautifully presented..will surely try this soon..