Our Favorite Date Cake

Another successful conversion, and just as delicious as before, Our Favorite Date Cake, has gone whole wheat!

This cake is perfect for smaller families because date cakes stay moist for a long time! I have baked this cake a couple of times now. The first time for our Sunday dinner and we finished it up on Thursday,  and honestly, it was just as good on the last day, as the first day. Our Favorite Date Cake is wonderful plain, but you already know my history with whipped cream, so a little never hurts!

We learned a lot about dates while driving through California to get to Arizona for our winter volunteer park service position. The climate in that region is perfect for dates. And with so many date palms it is no wonder that Medjool dates are readily available. These sweet tender fruits were in ancient times reserved for royalty. In our household they make a delicious impromptu dessert when baking has not taken place for awhile! I like many other cooks have used them as the source of all sweetness in baked goods for awhile like this Simple Nut Bread. Yes, this cake was baked in our little RV kitchen, as we are still on winter travel until the passes clear to get back home to Wyoming. Proving how simple it is to make!

Having enjoyed this cake so much, it was on the list to convert to a whole wheat recipe and I have to say, it is a conversion success! Our Favorite Date Cake has a soft texture, definitely moist and is full of tender date pieces. It is pleasantly sweet without being too sweet. And yes, a small scoop of ice cream would take it over the top for special occasions, like a birthday gathering.

The recipe has you giving the dates a boiling water soak, so a little advance planning might be needed. But since there are always kitchen chores to do, while the dates were relaxing in their soda water bath, I got everything else done. Once the date mixture has cooled down, the cake mixing can begin. The cake batter itself goes together very quickly, I actually began preheating the oven, right before I started mixing the batter. The whole process is easy, and not fussy in any way. And the best part? Our Favorite Date Cake is delicious!

Some additional thoughts on this recipe:

Date cakes that have you soak the dates go way back! Actually before Medjool dates became a revitalized crop and widely available. If using Medjool dates, soak for 30 minutes and drain, let cool and proceed.

I use sprouted white whole wheat for quick breads and cakes, including this recipe. 

And because we don't want to eat the same cake time and time again, walnuts would be delicious in this cake...

And ditto for this suggestion, while it seems outrageous, a handful of chocolate chips sprinkled over the top of the batter before baking would be a fancy addition. 

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• whole wheat flour
• sugar
• butter
• egg
• baking soda
• baking powder
• salt
• cinnamon
• vanilla
• whole milk

You will also need the following:

• large glass measuring cup
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• mesh sieve
• silicone spatula
• hand mixer
• mixing bowl
• 9 inch square baking pan

Now we are ready to begin!

Our Favorite Date Cake
inspired by : A Cake Bakes in Brooklyn
350-degree oven

1 1/2 c chopped dates, see above
1 t baking soda
1 c boiling water

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon

3/4 c whole milk
2 t vanilla

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in the microwave, add 1 t baking soda and the diced dates. Set aside until cool. 

Into the mixing bowl, add the sugar, egg and vanilla. 

Beat until creamy and light. 

Next add the whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and half of the whole milk. Mix until there are no dry pockets or wet pockets of batter. Add the remaining milk and mix until creamy smooth. 

Drain the date mixture through a mish sieve, add to the cake batter. Using a spatula, fold the dates into the batter. 

Turn into a prepared 9-inch square pan, bake 35-45 minutes or until done in your oven.

Let cool. then cut and serve. 

Storage options for Our Favorite Date Cake. Store covered for up to five days. If you live in a high humidity area, you may want to store in the refrigerator after three days. You may freeze this recipe.

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Our Favorite Date Cake has been included below. 

You may also enjoy One Bowl Carrot Cake.

#WholeWheatThat’sGoodToEat!

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Our Favorite Date Cake
inspired by : A Cake Bakes in Brooklyn
350-degree oven

1 1/2 c chopped dates
1 t baking soda
1 c boiling water

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon

3/4 c whole milk
2 t vanilla

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in the microwave, add 1 t baking soda and the diced dates. Set aside until cool. 

Into the mixing bowl, add the sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat until creamy and light. 

Next add the whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and half of the whole milk. Mix until there are no dry pockets or wet pockets of batter. Add the remaining milk and mix until creamy smooth. 

Drain the date mixture through a mish sieve, add to the cake batter. Using a spatula, fold the dates into the batter. 

Turn into a prepared 9-inch square pan, bake 35-45 minutes or until done in your oven.

Let cool. then cut and serve. 

Storage options for Our Favorite Date Cake. Store covered for up to five days. If you live in a high humidity area, you may want to store in the refrigerator after three days. You may freeze this recipe.

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