Ingredients
– 1 lb finely chopped dates (pits removed)
– 2 tablespoons baking soda
– 2 cups boiling water
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
– 1 cup brown sugar
– 1/2 cup white sugar
– 2 eggs, well-beaten
– 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or spelt flour or gluten-free flour plus 1 tablespoon milk)
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– 1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
Instructions
1-Place the chopped dates in a large bowl, sprinkle with baking soda, pour boiling water over them, and let cool.
2-Cream the butter with both sugars until creamy, then add beaten eggs and mix well.
3-Sift together flour, cinnamon, and salt; gradually add to the butter mixture until combined.
4-Stir in vanilla extract, dates with their soaking water, and chopped nuts until evenly mixed.
5-Divide the batter evenly into two 9-inch greased and floured cake pans.
6-Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7-Cool on wire racks before serving. Optionally dust with powdered sugar or top with fresh homemade whipped cream.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🌰 Chop dates finely for even distribution throughout the cake and walnuts into small, uniform pieces for consistent crunch in every bite.
🍯 Avoid overmixing the batter – mix until ingredients are just combined to prevent a dense cake and maintain light texture.
🎂 Cool cakes in pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring to wire racks to prevent breaking and ensure even cooling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Contains Nuts and Dairy
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 424
- Fat: 11
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0.2
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 36
