Sticky Date Cake

This is a super soft date cake with a rich caramel sauce. It’s a decadent treat for any get together or celebration.

In this recipe, we’ve used Lulu dates from the premium UAE brand Date Crown, which we got from one of our partners MHA. These dates have the perfect taste and sweetness for this recipe.

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 1 cup dates (pitted)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ cup softened butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. vanilla essence

For the caramel sauce

• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1/3 cup warm cooking cream
• 2 tbsp. softened butter

Instructions:

1. First get the butter out of the fridge and let it soften. We left ours on the counter for around half an hour and it was good to go. Softened butter would be a bit cool to the touch and when you press it with your finger, there should be an indentation.
2. Add the dates to a bowl, add boiling water and baking soda, and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Pour the date mixture into a blender and blend for 6 seconds or until you get a somewhat smooth liquid.
4. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
5. Add softened butter and sugar to another bowl. Beat with electric hand mixer on medium speed until combined and smooth. For us this took around 30 seconds.
6. Then add the eggs, cinnamon and vanilla, and continue beating until well mixed. For us this took about 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the date mixture and continue beating until well mixed. For us this took around 10 seconds.
8. Add the flour mixture, and beat at low speed until well mixed or for about 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl using a spatula and beat for another 30 seconds.
9. Prepare a 7.5 inch round baking tray by rubbing around a teaspoon of butter on the bottom and sides. Then, using a clean pair of scissors, cut the baking paper into a circle that’s big enough to cover the bottom of the tray. Press the baking paper on to the bottom; the butter is going to help it stick. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for at least 10 minutes before putting the cake in to the oven.
10. Add the batter into the tray, smoothen the top and bang the tray on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Place the cake on the middle rack of the oven and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11. Start preparing the caramel sauce once the cake is in the oven. First, heat your cooking cream and set it aside. Do not heat to the point it boils as we just need it to be warm.
12. Add sugar and water to a saucepan. It’s important that you do not stir the mixture at this stage. Allow the sugar to dissolve in the water and gently boil for about 9 minutes on medium heat until it turns a light brownish color.
13. Then add warm cooking cream and stir until mixed. Do not use a metal spoon for this. Use a wooden spoon or a plastic one instead. Add the butter and stir to combine, and gently boil for another minute. You should now have a smooth caramel sauce.
14. When the cake is baked, remove the tray from the oven. Cool for 20 minutes in the tray and then transfer the cake to a plate.
15. Poke holes on the surface of the cake using a skewer or fork (we had around 35 holes).
16. Pour the caramel sauce on top of the cake and spread it evenly. You can sprinkle some nuts (we used slivered almonds) on top for decoration and a bit of crunch.