Ingredients
For the Cake:
8 oz Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
1 cup water
½ cup vanilla or plain yogurt
2 ½ cups gluten-free flour or all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp kosher salt
8 tbsp butter (room temperature)
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk (or ½ cup milk + 2 tsp white vinegar if dairy-free)
½ cup molasses
2 eggs
For the Toffee Sauce:
2 ½ cups heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp molasses
⅔ cup brown sugar
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch cake pan with nonstick baking spray.
In a small pot, combine water and chopped dates. Cook over medium-low heat, mashing with a wooden spoon until a paste forms, about 7-10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix in eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, molasses, yogurt, date paste, and buttermilk.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 2: Make the Toffee Sauce
In a medium stock pot, combine heavy cream, vanilla, molasses, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the mixture turns a light golden color, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and let it cool slightly.
Step 3: Assemble and Serve
Once the cake has cooled slightly, poke holes all over the top using a toothpick.
Pour ¾ of the toffee sauce over the cake, reserving the rest for drizzling when serving.
Let the cake soak in the sauce for 10 minutes, then slice and drizzle with the remaining toffee sauce before serving.
Notes
Make it Dairy-Free: To make this cake dairy-free, substitute the yogurt and buttermilk with dairy-free options like coconut yogurt and almond milk with vinegar.
Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for a warm, comforting treat.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time:: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: baked
- Diet: Vegetarian
