This date cake is inspired by a Canadian dessert. My sister-in-law Lya’s friend, Haley, recently made a delicious, moist maple cake. It was so good Lya asked if she could have the recipe so I could replicate it for the family. I didn’t have any maple on hand so I made a variation using date syrup and dried dates.
The cake turned out absolutely divine. It’s so moist! But the best part is the date syrup glaze that is a great reminder of the flavor of the dessert and a way to seal the cake for extra freshness, even the next day. Ours didn’t make it that far!
1. Info for Date Cake Recipe (Canadian Inspired Dessert)
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
- Servings: 8
- Calories: 230 kcal
2. Ingredients for Date Cake Recipe (Canadian Inspired Dessert)
- 12 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup cinnamon-spiced tea, freshly steeped
- 2 whole eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2-½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup pure date syrup
- ¾ cup date syrup glaze (recipes follows in the tip section)
3. Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the chopped dates in a small stainless steel bowl and pour a cup of hot cinnamon-spiced tea over them. Soak the dates for at least 15 minutes. Drain all the liquid. Set the dates aside.
- Brush 2 (4-½”) mini round non-stick spring-form pans with about 1 teaspoon of oil (optional). Line the bottoms and sides with pieces of parchment paper.
- Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl with granulated sugar until they’re pale yellow and the texture is thicker. Add the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Combine the egg mixture and the dry ingredients, alternating with crème fraîche so the batter is smooth.
- In another bowl, combine the butter with date syrup. Add the soft buttery cream to the egg mixture and mix until the cake batter is formed.
- Pour the cake batter into the 2 molds. Sprinkle with the chopped dates and let them sink a little using a spoon. Even it out using a spreader or by gently lifting the mold and dropping it several times.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F until the top is crackly. The texture of the cake should be very soft and moist. If you bake the cake in a large pan (9 x 9-inch square mold), you might want to extend the baking time by an additional 5-10 minutes. A skewer or a toothpick inserted into the cake should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven. Cool the cakes for about 15-20 minutes.
- Drizzle with the date syrup glaze, making sure the glaze fills every nook and cranny. Spread and level the glaze using a small spatula. Using a butter knife, separate the cake from the wall of the mold. Open the spring-form molds. Remove and discard the parchment papers. Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes.
- Garnish with whole dried dates if you like.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with a hot cup of tea.
- Bon appétit!
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