13oz.(375g)dried dates, pitted (375g or about 2 cups) *see Note 1
2 1/2cupswater
2 3/4cups(344g)all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
1/2teaspoonsalt, reduce to 1/4 tsp if you used salted butter
2teaspoonsbaking powder
2teaspoonsbaking soda
1 1/3cups(267g)white granulated sugar
1/2cup(113g)unsalted butter, at room temperature
4largeeggs
1 1/2teaspoonsvanilla
For the toffee sauce:
3/4cup(170g)unsalted butter
1cup(200g)white granulated sugar
3/4cup(175ml)heavy, whipping cream, 35% b.f.
Pinchsalt
1Tablespoonbrandy, optional, or 1 tsp vanilla
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. (not fan-assisted). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan well and set aside.
Combine the dates and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Mash until smooth and set aside to cool. *Make sure your date mixture cools before starting your cake. Adding a warm mixture to your batter with lots of eggs risks cooking the eggs in the batter, which is not good.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter and the white sugar. With the mixer on medium, cream together the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Scrape down the bowl, as needed. Add the vanilla and mix in.
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Add the COOLED date mixture and mix until combined.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan (it will be quite liquid).
Bake cake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a tested inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then place a plate over-top and invert to remove the cake to a plate. (*I like to carefully use a knife just along the top edge and around the centre tube to make sure it's nice and loose before inverting).
Let cake cool completely before slicing. Can be made ahead and stored loosely covered at room temperature (in fact, I recommend making a bit ahead, as this cake tends to be richer and more moist if it has a chance to sit a bit).
Cake will keep well for 4-5 days stored at room temperature. You can also freeze the baked and cooled cake. Prepare the toffee sauce (can be made ahead).
Toffee Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the white sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking and stirring, until the sugar/butter mixture becomes a nice caramel colour, about 5 minutes (mixture will not be smooth at this point, but granular and may split at some point). Very carefully, standing well back, add the whipping cream to the pan (mixture will steam and splash up!) and stir vigorously, until the mixture is smooth again (adding the cool cream may cause your sugars to seize up temporarily). Continue cooking, stirring, until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in brandy, if using (1 tsp of vanilla is an alternate option here).
Use toffee sauce right away or let cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until needed. To rewarm, simply heat until warm in a microwave or in a small saucepan. Toffee sauce will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
To serve, cut a thin slice of cake and pour some warm toffee sauce over-top. You can also add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the plate, if you like.
Notes
Note 1: This recipe is written starting with dried dates and not fresh dates, such as Medjool. I haven't tested the recipe with fresh dates, so I can't assure they will work in the same way.Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card for more tips on making this cake.