This delicious Middle Eastern-inspired date cake is studded with date pieces and crunchy walnuts. The cake is light, moist, and not overly sweet. It's perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert!
This date cake recipe is incredibly simple to make, since you don't have to fuss with cake layers, frosting or sauces. And the texture of this cake is super moist, thanks to the blended soaked dates.
It's not overly sweet either, so it's great for breakfast with a cup of coffee. Or it serve in the afternoon for a little pick-me-up snack with chai.
Of course, my favorite way to serve this cake is with a scoop vanilla ice cream and homemade vegan caramel sauce or toffee sauce for dessert! I also love to dollop labneh or Greek yogurt on top with a drizzle of honey. It is absolute perfection.
Seriously, this Middle Eastern date cake is so light, and it'll make your home smell amazing as it bakes. And it's ready in just an hour!
After for more Middle Eastern desserts, be sure to try my baklava cheesecake, Egyptian semolina cake called Basbousa, date-filled mamool cookies, vegan knafeh, and vegan baklava.
My in-laws are from Iraq, and I had them test-taste this cake. They (thankfully) said it was perfect! The flavor of the dates really shines through in each bite.
Ingredients
- Pitted dates
- Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Chopped walnuts (optional)
How to Make this Date Cake
Prep: Grease a 9-inch or 10-inch round baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Soak the dates: In a small bowl, pour boiling water over one cup of pitted dates and one teaspoon baking soda. Set aside and let the dates soak for 10 to 15 minutes until they've softened.
Blend the dates: Use a blender or food processor to blend the softened dates and the water they were soaked in to form a paste. Set aside.
Cream the butter & sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until it is smooth and pale yellow, after about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add eggs & vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla and mix again until it is smooth, after about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
Whisk the dry ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and remaining baking soda.
Mix together the cake batter: Add the wet ingredients and the blended dates into the dry ingredients and mix just until you no longer see pockets of dry flour.
Fold in dates & walnuts: Chop the remaining ½ cup dates. Fold in the chopped dates and chopped walnuts.
Transfer to baking dish: Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish.
Bake: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Storing
- Room Temperature: This cake is best stored at room temperature. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: You can also store the cake after it's cooled in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Or wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Thaw at room temperature.
- Reheat: You can warm this cake in microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds.
FAQ's
What type of dates should I use in date cake?
You can use any soft, ripe dates. Medjool are the most common variety in major grocery stores in the U.S. I used a softer variety from Kuwait, and they also worked great!
Why do you soak dates in baking soda?
Tannins are released from dates as they soak in water., and tannins can taste bitter. By adding baking soda to the soaking water, it neutralizes the tannins so the dates stay sweet.
How long is too long to soak dates?
For this date cake, you only need to soak dates in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes to soften them. Soaking them for more than 12 hours could start the fermentation process!
Recipe Tips
- Kitchen Hack: you can use the empty wrapper from your stick of butter to grease your baking dish.
- Make sure you remove all the pits from the dates. I nearly broke a food processor by letting one date slip through the cracks!
- If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can also mash the dates by hand with a fork in a bowl.
- Drain the water into a separate bowl while mashing, so it doesn't splash around. Then add the water back in and mix it to form a paste.
Recipe Variations
- Jazz up this recipe by adding ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom or allspice.
- Add orange zest for a light citrus flavor to pair with the sweet dates.
- You can cut your round cake in half lengthwise and decorate it with buttercream to create a fancy layer cake!
- Use any type of nuts (pecans, almonds, pistachios and cashews all taste great in this recipe) in place of the walnuts. Or you can leave out the nuts completely.
Date Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups pitted dates
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (one stick)
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda, divided
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Grease a 9-inch or 10-inch round baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, pour boiling water over one cup of pitted dates and add one teaspoon of baking soda. Set aside and let the dates soak for 10 to 15 minutes until they've softened.Chop the remaining ½ cup dates and set aside.
- Use a blender or food processor to blend the softened dates and the water they were soaked in to form a paste. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a stand mixer or electric hand whisk to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until it is smooth and pale yellow, after about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix again until it is smooth, after about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and the remaining ½ teaspoon of baking soda.
- Add the wet ingredients and the blended dates into the dry ingredients and mix just until you no longer see pockets of dry flour.
- Fold in the chopped dates and chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Make sure you remove all the pits from the dates.
- If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can also mash the dates by hand with a fork in a bowl.
- You can substitute the walnuts with other nuts or omit them completely.
Maria
I had a bunch of dates left over and tried this cake, and wow, was it delicious! I love that it wasn't too sweet! I didn't have walnuts and threw in some pecans instead. It came out perfect, and I topped it with a light mascarpone frosting! SO GOOD!
Mariel
I love date cake, and I definitely love this one! I've had a few variations in cafes before, but I think this one is my favorite! I love how simple it is. It's great with coffee for breakfast, since I'm not a big fan of American coffee cakes.
Jameela
Delicious cake! I made this two weeks ago for a friend's baby shower, and I topped it with a honey buttercream and edible flowers. Everyone loved the flavor of the cake, and the date pieces inside.