Description
This Warm Apple Date Treacle Cake with Butter Sauce Bliss is a comforting and moist dessert featuring the natural sweetness of dates and apples, enhanced with warm spices and a rich buttery sauce. Perfectly spiced and tender, this cake pairs beautifully with a luscious homemade butter sauce, offering a delightful treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 200 g (1 cup) pitted dates, chopped
- 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
- 100 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g (3/4 cup) brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 100 g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Butter Sauce
- 100 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 100 g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the dates: In a bowl, combine the chopped dates and boiling water. Let them soak for about 15 minutes until softened. Once soaked, mash them lightly with a fork and set aside.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 20 cm (8-inch) round cake pan with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix in the dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the soaked date mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Fold in the apples and nuts: Gently fold in the diced apples and chopped nuts (if using) until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Prepare the butter sauce: While the cake is baking, make the butter sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and brown sugar. Stir until melted and smooth. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Cool and serve: Once the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve slices of the warm cake drizzled with the warm butter sauce.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts or pecans with other nuts like almonds or hazelnuts or omit nuts for a nut-free version.
- Ensure the cake is baked thoroughly by checking that a toothpick comes out clean before removing it from the oven.
- For extra moisture, serve the cake warm with the butter sauce immediately after baking.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- The cake can be gently reheated before serving to restore its soft texture and warm the sauce.
