Friday, August 22, 2008

Date Nut Cake

If you have picky eaters, do not for any reason tell them that this is anything other than cake. I told mine it was chocolate chip cake. And, to a man, they ate it. And loved it. (I had to whisper to my dearly beloved that there were dates and nuts in it, or he wouldn't have tried it.)

This comes from a Betty Crocker cookbook I bought a good 20 years ago, with a title to the effect of Shortcut Cooking For the Smart Cook (I think that's accurate, but I'm too lazy to trot through a couple of rooms to find it). The title of this cake pretty much sums up the ingredients....


CHOCOLATE CHIP DATE NUT CAKE

1/2 cup chopped dates
2/3 cup very hot water
1/2 tsp baking soda

Pour the water over the dates, stir in the soda, and set aside for 5 minutes while you gather the rest of the ingredients.


1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Add all of these ingredients except the chocolate chips to the date mixture and mix until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into an 8" square baking pan. Add the topping:

1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips (which I skipped)


Stir these together, and sprinkle over the unbaked cake. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, or until the cake tests done. While it's still warm, stir together 1 to 2 cups confectioner's sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a bit of cream until smooth to make a glaze. Drizzle over the cake and serve warm.

Around 1AM, I found my hubby wandering around the kitchen, plate in hand. "It called me," he said. Of course, he was talking about the cake; he ate a second piece before bed.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

I swear you must never sleep! That cake looks good. I would probably bake it in a loaf pan, so JB would eat it in the morning. If it looked like cake he wouldn't have it for breakfast. g

Paula said...

This cake would call to my hubby as well! Cakes like this are so wonderful ... moist and chewy. That glaze looks like it matches perfectly with the cake. Love the photo!

The Blonde Duck said...

That's so cool! I love how the dates are hidden! It looks great.

Pam said...

I loved date muffins when I was growing up. The cake looks really moist and delicous and the frosting - oh so good.

jay_say said...

I just wanted to say Hi and that I stopped by... I am Chad's wife (Musings from the desert). Some of these recipes really do look delicious. Thanks for sharing.

pam said...

I shouldn't be reading this right now! I am so hungry and this is not helping!

Anonymous said...

Well I love dates but I know about the picky eaters, I have one who is incouragabile!

Thanks for this, I love it.

CraftRage said...

That looks SO good. That glaze makes me feel the need to go bake a cake, but I'm going to hold off, 'cause I'm making your butterscotch meringue pie this afternoon - who knows, it might end up being dinner for two!

grace said...

good googa mooga, that glaze is the stuff of my dreams! it's practically as thick as the cake, which is perfect to me! :)

test it comm said...

This sounds so good. I have been wanting to try baking with dates.