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Ingredients
- 1 tsp unsalted butter, for greasing cake pans
- 10 oz pitted dates
- 1 3/4 cup hot water
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 9 oz all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup molasses
Details
Servings 1
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Prepare your cake pans by greasing the bottoms and sides with melted or softened butter. Place a parchment circle on the bottom of each pan. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, add the pitted dates and the water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the baking soda. Let the mixture cool while the rest of the cake is being made. Then, puree with an immersion blender before adding the mixture to the remaining ingredients.
4. While the dates cool, split and scrape the vanilla bean. Use the dull side of a paring knife to scrape out the vanilla bean seeds and add them to the dark brown sugar. Use your finger to disperse the vanilla bean seeds throughout the sugar. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and kosher salt.
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer whip the butter on a medium speed until creamy, about 30-60 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and return the mixer to a low speed. Slowly add the dark brown sugar in a steady stream. Once the sugar has completely incorporated, raise the speed to medium and mix for 3-5 minutes, stopping halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl before adding the eggs. With the mixer on medium low speed add the eggs in a slow stream, stopping halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Raise the speed to medium and mix for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is almost tripled in volume, stopping halfway through to scrape down the sides of the blow. Add the molasses and beat for 30 seconds to combine.
8. Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredient mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix on a low speed until just combined. Add in the next two additions, 1/3 at a time, of the dry mixture. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add all of the blended dates in one batch. Mix on a low speed until mostly incorporated. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and finish the batter by folding by hand so as not to overmix.
9. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 20 minutes. Check the pans at this point and rotate. The cakes are done when the surface of the cake springs back when (lightly!) touched and a 1/8" gap forms between the cake and the sides of the pan.
10. Assemble cake in layers and frost with desired frosting. Suggested: Muscovado Buttercream + Orange-Ginger Marmalade.
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