Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
This year, I decided not to bake a Christmas fruitcake, but I still wanted to make a cake for my family’s Christmas Eve dinner. A few months ago, I learned how to make a sticky date pudding cake from a Vancouver pastry chef. It looked challenging but still do-able, so I thought that the holidays would be a good time to test-drive this recipe. I followed her recipe exactly, except for omitting the cardamom (which I could not find while at the grocery store) and using vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean. Here is how I made Jackie Kai Ellis’s sticky date pudding cake with toffee sauce.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cup pitted Medjool dates
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- pinch of ground cloves
- pinch of pepper
- 1½ cups + 3 teaspoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Start by preheating your oven to 375F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan using butter or cooking oil, and line the pan with parchment paper.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
On a large cutting board, roughly chop up the dates using a sharp knife and place them in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the water and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. When the date mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, remove the pan from heat, add the baking soda, and allow the mixture to stand for about 20 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Place 2/3 cup of the butter in a separate large bowl, and whisk it with the granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to beat the mixture, before adding in the flour mixture, a little bit at a time until well combined. It’s important here not to over-mix the cake batter when you’re adding the flour. Go slow, and at the end, I simply used a spatula to scrape down the sides and stir everything together.
Now, pour the dates (including the liquid) into the cake batter and using a spatula, mix until combined. Pour the batter into the baking pan and place the cake pan into a large baking pan (I used a roasting pan). Boil a kettle full of water on the stove, and pour the boiling water into the large pan until the water level reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Time to put both trays into the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
While your cake is cooking, make the toffee sauce on the stove. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining butter before adding the brown sugar, cream, and remaining vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly using a spatula. Once the toffee sauce is boiling, remove it from heat and allow it to cool. It should be a lovely golden-brown colour.
When your cake has finished baking, test the centre using a toothpick. The toothpick should come out clean. Allow the cake to cool slightly before serving it with the toffee sauce.
This cake was truly fabulous. My family loved it (even though the centre of my cake wasn’t completely cooked firm (but it’s always better to be on the gooey-side, right?). The cake also packs away and keeps well. Store it in your fridge, which will also help it firm up, and reheat in the microwave with the toffee sauce!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
