CHOCOLATE DATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE STICKY TOFFEE GLAZE

By SAEGERMA

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 1 1/4 CUP WATER
• 26 WHOLE DATES PITTED
• 3 TBL BRANDY
• 2 TBL STRONG BREWED COFFEE
• 4 TBL COCOA
• 2 CUPS FLOUR
• 1 TEAS SALT
• PINCH CINNAMON
• 1 1/2 STICK BUTTER SOFTENED
• 3/4 CUP PACKED DARK BROWN SUGAR
• 4 LARGE EGGS
• 1 1/2 TEAS BAKING SODA
• 5 OZ BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHOPPED
• GLAZE
• 1/2 STICK BUTTER
• 2/3 CUP PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
• 1/3 CUP LIGHT CORN SYRUP
• 1 TBL WATER
• PINCH OF SALT
• 2 TBL HEAVY CREAM
• 4 OZ BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHOPPED
• 1 TBL PLUS 1 1/2 TEAS BRANDY

Preparation

Step 1

PREHEAT OVEN 350 BUTTER A 9 INCH CAKE PAN LINE WITH PARCHMENT
BRING WATER TO BOIL COMBINE CHOPPED DATES COFFEE BRANDY AND 2 TBL COCOA STIR BOILING WATER INTO MIXTURE LET COOL PUREE COOLED DATE MIXTURE PLACE 3/4 CUP PUREE IN A SMALL BOWL AND PRESS PLASTIC WRAP DIRECTLY ON SURFACE PLACE REMAINING PUREE IN A LARGE BOWL WHISK FLOUR SALT CINNAMON AND REMAINING 2 TBL COCOA IN A BOWL BEAT BUTTER AND DARK BROWN SUGAR UNTIL FLUFFY ADD EGGS 1 AT A TIME BEATING AFTER EACH ADDITION MIXTURE SHOULD LOOK CURDLED STIR BAKING SODA INTO RESERVED UNCOVERED DATE PUREE O LOW SPEED BEAT FLOUR INTO EGG MIXTURE IN 2 ADDITIONS ALTERNATING WITH THE DATE MIXTURE BEAT IN CHOCOLATE TRANSFER BATTER TO PAN BAKE CAKE ABOUT 1 HOUR TILL TOOTHPICK COMES OUT CLEAN LET CAKE COOL IN PAN ON RACK FOR 1 HOUR INVERT CAKE AND PREPARE GLAZE BRING BUTTER LIGHT BROWN SUGAR CORN SYRUP WATER AND SALT TO A BOIL IN A SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT STIRRING OCCASIONALLY WHISK IN CREAM ADD CHOCOLATE AND WHISK UNTIL SMOOTH WHISK IN BRANDY LET COOL UNTIL THICKENED ABOUT 15-20 MIN ASSEMBLE THE CAKE USING A SERRATED KNIFE TRIM ROUNDED TOP OF CAKE SO IT IS FLAT SPREAD REMAINING 3/4 CUP DATE PUREE ON TOP OF CAKE POUR GLAZE OVER CAKE LETTING SOME DRIP OVER SIDES GARNISH WITH DATES