Spiced Date & Walnut Cake Recipe
This date cake recipe is moist, simple to make, and delicious. Topped with abutter glaze, it’s spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and clove, and packed full of dates. Date cakes are popular in Iraq (where I’m from), so I’ve had my fair! This cake uses mashed Medjool dates and chopped walnuts.
Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup softened butter, unsalted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups flour, all-purpose
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom, green
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground clove
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Pinch of salt
- 2 cups chopped walnuts
For the Dates:
- 350 grams pitted and chopped dates, (25-50 dates depending on size)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1.5 cups hot milk
For the Date Molasses glaze (option 1):
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup date molasses
For the butter glaze (option 2):
- 1/4 cup butter, unsalted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons thick cream, solid form, typically from Carnation or Puck in a small can
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 350F
- Start by pitting the dates and roughly chopping them. You should use approximately 350g of dates in order to ensure a good ratio in the cake.
- Meanwhile, place the milk in a small saucepan and heat it until just before boiling.
- Add the dates to a bowl along with the baking soda, and cover them with the hot milk. Leave to soak for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the batter
- In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar using a stand mixer or hand mixer, until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, and continue to beat until incorporated
- Mix your dry ingredients, except for the walnuts, together in a bowl using a whisk
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2 portions, and continue to mix well until well combined. The batter will look quite thick at this point
- Mash the dates with a potato masher or using a fork until the dates start to soften and form a paste. Its okay if some date chunks remain
- Add the dates and milk mixture into the batter and mix until just combined. Add the walnuts and incorporate into the batter
- Grease a standard 10" round Bundt pan with butter, then dust it with flour all around, ensuring you get the edges. It helps to tap it against the counter
- Add the batter to the pan and smooth it out evenly
- Bake the cake for approximately 35-45 minutes, depending on your oven. You should start checking your cake at the 35 minute mark. Check the cake by inserting a knife or toothpick in the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, you can remove the cake from the oven. Otherwise, continue to bake
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then flip it onto a cake stand
- If using the date molasses glaze, mix together the condensed milk with the molasses until well combined. Drizzle it over the cake before serving
- If using the butter glaze, prepare the glaze just before serving by melting the butter in a saucepan, then whisking it with the sugar and cream until combined. Bring to a boil then simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes (it will thicken as it cools)
- Add the glaze to the cake and sprinkle it with chopped walnuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Medjool dates will work best for this cake because they are really sweet and soft. However, other date varieties will also work (especially Khudri dates)
- Make sure you use room temperature butter and eggs, to help make the cake extra moist and fluffy
- I have tested this recipe using a standard 10" Bundt pan as well as a 9" springform cake pan and both work well
Serving: 1g, Calories: 437kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 237mg, Potassium: 466mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 40g, Vitamin A: 405IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 162mg, Iron: 2mg
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