This Queen Elizabeth cake is a lightly sweet date cake, topped with a brown sugar, butter and coconut broiled topping. A Canadian classic cake.
About this classic Canadian cake and why you'll love it!
Despite the name of this cake, this Queen Elizabeth Cake is more associated with Canada, than Britain, as it is here that it found a lot of fans. This cake really took hold here in the early 1950's, around the time of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and is still being made and enjoyed here many years later. This delicious cake truly does stand the test of time.
The lovely Queen Elizabeth Cake is somewhat reminiscent of the cake part of sticky toffee pudding cake, but on top, rather than a toffee sauce, this one is topped with butter, brown sugar and coconut and broiled until bubbly and golden. The caramel-coconut topping is the perfect sweet topping for the just barely sweet date cake.
Queen Elizabeth Cake (the cake part) is also lower in fat and sugar than many cakes, making it perfect for afternoon enjoyment, perhaps with a spot of tea :)
As a bonus, this cake stays fresh for days on the counter, so it is one that is especially suited to making ahead.
Key Ingredients
Dates - no need to use expensive dates here (unless you want to :). The standard block of cooking dates in the baking aisle is just fine here.
Coconut - You can use sweetened or unsweetened coconut here. I usually use sweetened. I do suggest you stick with shredded coconut, as it makes for nice texture and a prettier cake, I think.
Some variations of Queen Elizabeth Cake include walnuts, either chopped and added to the cake batter with the dates or stirred in to the coconut topping. It's a nice option if either sounds idea sounds good to you.
Cook's Notes
- Chopping sticky dates is no fun, but it is necessary to ensure that the dates will soften in the boiling water. Chop them as finely as you prefer, depending on how much of the dates you want to see in your cake. Some people find it easier to cut up the dates with kitchen scissors, rather than a knife.
- If you'd like to lift your cake out in one piece (onto a serving plate, for example, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. You don't want to have any parchment extending beyond the sides of the cake, as you will be broiling the top and it could, of course, start on fire!
- No 9-inch square pan? You can bake this one in a 10-inch round pan instead (most likely springform, at that size).
Making ahead, storing and freezing
You can easily make this cake ahead, as it keeps really well on the counter for several days.
This cake will also freeze well up to 2 months.
Top Tip
When it comes time to broil your topping, don't wander off. It can go from golden to burnt in an instant. Watch it like a hawk!
Recipe
Queen Elizabeth Cake
Ingredients
For Cake:
- 1 cup chopped pitted dates, packed
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 Tbsp whipping cream
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
Instructions
- Preheat to 350°F with rack in centre of oven.
- Grease a 9-inch square (or 10-inch round) metal cake pan. Set aside. *If you want, you can line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, for easy removal, but don't allow any parchment paper to extend beyond the top of the cake, as you will be broiling the top later and it could catch on fire!
- Add chopped dates and baking soda to a medium bowl. Pour in the boiling water and stir. Let stand until completely cooled to room temperature.
- In a large bowl with an electric beater or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup brown sugar until light and smooth. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with date mixture (with any liquid with the dates), making 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of date mixture.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake in preheated oven until firm to a light touch and a tester inserted into centre comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and switch oven broiler on.
- Start the topping when the cake is almost done. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, butter, cream and coconut in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and boil gently for 1 minute. Spread topping mixture evenly over hot cake.
- Broil cake about 6 inches from the heat source until bubbling and golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. **Don't wander off! Watch closely as topping can burn quickly.
- Remove from oven and let cake cool on rack until cooled completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.
Hi! I'm Jennifer, a home-cook of many years and a lifelong seeker of delicious food! I'm an equal opportunity eater. I enjoy eating all the foods!
Min says
Simple ingredients yet produces a decadent cake. Perfect for coffee or tea.
Warning-it is very hard to resist!
Jennifer says
So glad you enjoyed it, Min :) Thanks so much!
Sharon says
Memories! My mom
Made this cake in the same pan .. I’m 65 and had never made it till today.. can’t wait to try it and take a piece to my 87yr old mom! Thanks!
Jennifer says
I'm so glad, Sharon! (I love the old pans and still pull it out, even though I have a bunch of new ones :). I'm sure you mom will enjoy it. Thanks so much!
Mary Lou Fitzgerald says
Jennifer, this recipe truly made me smile. Thank you for reviving an excellent classic, but simple cake. I received a nearly identical recipe for a Queen Elizabeth Cake from my new mother-in-law in 1960. :-) I made it often for a family that grew to 3 kids, and then for coworkers in many places in the US, Germany, Greece, and Italy. Yes, a connection to the military :-). I'm now 81 and need to let my daughter do most of the cooking (darn) but I'll be asking her to make one soon. I've just recently discovered your website and I'm happy I did. I'm retired so I "read" lots of cooking websites. :-)
Best wishes and keep cooking and baking.
Mary Lou
Jennifer says
Hi Mary Lou and yes, it's wonderful when recipes come with great memories, too :) Do enjoy the cake and thanks so much for reading along!
M elle says
Do I remove the water from dates before adding in?
You did not address this in your recipe and I'm making this now
Please answer asap
Jennifer says
No, you don't drain the water off the dates.
Massimo Saccomando says
I made this cake a few years ago at work and it was delicious! I'm going to try it again this time at home. The dates and coconut caramel topping is a perfect combination of flavors.
Jennifer says
Glad you are enjoying it Massimo and I agree. It's a lovely combination of flavours :) Thanks!
Erica says
Everyone loved it and wanted the recipe.
Thanks
Jennifer says
So glad to hear, Erica :) Thanks so much!
Yuri says
Hi
I just made this today. It was excellent flavor combination sponge cake parts with Coconut caramelized on that top !! That's unbelievable ! This is my repeat recipe !!
And I have question about substitution for Dates. This time I have left over Dates on my pantry , that's why I was using . But if i don't have that, do you anything recommending substitute for Dates though? Because I don't want to wasted another leftover Dates , if I bought again . LOL
Thank you !!
Jennifer says
So glad you enjoyed it! I've seen where people use raisins and dates alternately, so it may be a good option if you don't have dates.
Laura | Tutti Dolci says
Such a prefect everyday cake! Love the coconut topping. )
Jennifer says
Thanks so much, Laura :)
Ollie says
Not only does this cake look delicious with that crunchy topping, but the pan you baked it in is a rare find. I have one just like it from my grandmother so it’s 50+ years old. Ovenex pans are nearly impossible to find and I love seeing yours! I will be making this cake for company tmrw night in my Ovenex!
Jennifer says
I love Ovenex, too Ollie :) I have my whole family keeping an eye out for pieces of it to add to my collection. Enjoy the cake!
Ellen says
Hi. My college sorority sister from Virginia made a similar Queen Elizabeth cake that we adored but without that topping. Her topping was a mix of heated butter, sugar and cream that was poured over the top of the cake. After sitting for awhile you could slice it up into creamy, gooey squares. We often served for a sorority tea at pledging time. On the other hand, I've never met a combination of Brown sugar, butter and coconut that I didn't love ;)
Jennifer says
I've found there are a bunch of variations of Queen Elizabeth Cake floating around and yes, one like you described without the coconut. I'm pretty sure you can't really go wrong with any variety of this cake :)
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I've never heard of this one Jennifer, but it sounds just delicious. That topping!
Jennifer says
Thanks Mary Ann! It's better known here in Canada, as it's been making the rounds for the last 70 years or so :)
[email protected] says
Ummmmm - I cannot handle this cake! That stunning brown sugary coconut topping has me wishing I had a big slice right about now!!
Jennifer says
Thanks Annie :) It is a delicious little cake!
Tricia | Saving Room for Dessert says
I've never heard of this cake before but so glad I did now! I adore dates, and well coconut is fantastic. I bet a piece of this cake will make you smile from ear to ear. Pinned
Jennifer says
Thanks so much, Tricia :)
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Brown sugar, butter and coconut? There's no going wrong with these ingredients involved. I haven't tried this cake before, but clearly I need to and have been missing out. Looks so delicious, Jennifer!
Jennifer says
Thanks so much, Dawn :)