DATE CAKE

Date Cake image

Provided by Antonia Lofaso

Categories dessert

Time 1h10m

Yield 24 mini cakes

Number Of Ingredients 20

Nonstick cooking spray, for the muffin tin
4 cups pitted medjool dates
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons allspice
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups brown sugar
Whipped Cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Steps:

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
Add the dates, baking soda and 2 cups water to a pot and bring to a simmer. Cook until greatly reduced, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Mash the dates into a paste. Set aside.
Add the butter and brown sugar to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until soft. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, allspice, baking powder and salt. Add to the stand mixer large spoonfuls of the flour mixture and date paste, alternating between each. Beat until combined. Evenly scoop the cake batter into the mini muffin tins, to the top of each cup.
Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, for 20 to 25 minutes. Poke with a wooden skewer to make sure it's done.
For the toffee sauce: Mix the heavy cream and brown sugar together in a pot. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
For the whipped cream: Add the heavy cream, vanilla, allspice, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger to the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until stiff peaks are formed.
Invert the cakes onto a serving platter or plate. Poke the now tops of the cakes with a wooden skewer. Pour about 1/2 cup toffee sauce over the top of each cake. Dollop the whipped cream over the top of each cake.