Date Cake
Serves 10-12 | Preparation & baking time 1 h 30 min
Date Cake
Date cakes are often baked in Finland at Christmas time. This recipe is an altered family recipe (my grandmother minced a pressed date bar and seasoned the cake with coffee or sour apple sauce. She used at least twice as much sugar and used buttermilk instead of crème fraîche).
Set/turn the oven to 175°C (fan 150°C). Line a ~ø 24 cm cake tin with softened butter and almond flakes/flour or breadcrumbs. Chop the dates into tiny bits and cook them in 100 ml water on medium-high heat for 3-5 min until they’re softened and mushy. Take aside and let cool. Whisk the egg whites (3-5 min by hand) and keep the froth in a separate bowl. Melt/warm the butter/butter-macadamia nut oil mix. Mix the vanilla sugar, baking soda and salt with the flour. Mix all ingredients except the egg whites in a large bowl. Turn the egg whites gently into the dough. Fill the cake tin firmly and evenly with a large spoon or spatula. Bake in the lower part of the oven for ~60 minutes.
Tip: the apple sauce/jam can be substituted with 150 ml (150 g) strong, cooled coffee.
Serves 10-12 | Preparation & baking time 1 h 30 min
Date Cake
Date cakes are often baked in Finland at Christmas time. This recipe is an altered family recipe (my grandmother minced a pressed date bar and seasoned the cake with coffee or sour apple sauce. She used at least twice as much sugar and used buttermilk instead of crème fraîche).
Ingredients
1 tbsp softened butter and a handful of almond flakes/flour or breadcrumbs to line the cake tin
500 ml (~250 g) dates
100 ml (100 g) water
200 ml (~240 g) apple sauce or apple jam
50-65 ml (~40-55 g) caster sugar (depending on the sweetness of the apple sauce/jam)
200 ml (~190 g) melted butter (or 50/50 macadamia nut oil/butter mix)
2 eggs, yolks and whites separated
150 ml (~150 g) crème fraîche/sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt (1/4 teaspoon if the butter is unsalted)
400 ml (~200 g) plain flour/APF
InstructionsSet/turn the oven to 175°C (fan 150°C). Line a ~ø 24 cm cake tin with softened butter and almond flakes/flour or breadcrumbs. Chop the dates into tiny bits and cook them in 100 ml water on medium-high heat for 3-5 min until they’re softened and mushy. Take aside and let cool. Whisk the egg whites (3-5 min by hand) and keep the froth in a separate bowl. Melt/warm the butter/butter-macadamia nut oil mix. Mix the vanilla sugar, baking soda and salt with the flour. Mix all ingredients except the egg whites in a large bowl. Turn the egg whites gently into the dough. Fill the cake tin firmly and evenly with a large spoon or spatula. Bake in the lower part of the oven for ~60 minutes.
Tip: the apple sauce/jam can be substituted with 150 ml (150 g) strong, cooled coffee.
Last edited:
