Rich, spongy date cake unapologetically sweet
Dense and moist, this dessert has a deep, fruity date flavour
The Brits call all desserts “pudding,” but this is not pudding to Americans. Rather, it’s a rich, spongy date cake that’s steamed to give it a dense, moist texture.
What makes these individual-size cakes special is the sauce that they get smothered in after steaming: an unapologetically sweet, butterscotch-like sauce made from butter, cream and sugar.
We decided to use our Butterscotch Sauce here; its balanced toffee notes made the dessert less cloying but still beautifully rich.
To pack our cakes with lots of deep, fruity date flavour, we ground half of the dates in the food processor with the sugar, while soaking the remaining dates in water with baking soda to tenderize them; we then added the flavourful soaking liquid to the batter.
To steam the cakes, we cooked them in a covered water bath in the oven. Poking the cakes with a skewer allowed the sauce to be thoroughly absorbed.
It is important to form a tight seal with the aluminum foil before baking the cakes so the steam is trapped inside the roasting pan. You will need eight six-ounce (180mL) ramekins for this recipe.
INDIVIDUAL STICKY BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING CAKES
Serves: 8 Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes
8 oz (226 g) pitted dates, cut crosswise into 1/4inch (6-mm) thick slices (1 1/3 cups/330 mL)
3/4 cup (180 mL) warm water (at 110 F/43 C)
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) baking soda
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) or 6 1/4 oz (177 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt
3/4 cup (180 mL) packed or 5 1/4 oz (150 g) brown sugar
2 large eggs
4 tbsp (60 mL) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) vanilla extract
1 recipe Butterscotch Sauce (recipe follows)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease and flour eight six-ounce (180-mL) ramekins.
Set prepared ramekins in a large roasting pan lined with a dish towel. Bring kettle of water to boil.
Combine half of the dates, water, and baking soda in a two-cup (500-mL) liquid measuring cup (dates should be submerged beneath water), and soak dates for five minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Process sugar and remaining dates in food processor until no large date chunks remain and mixture has texture of damp, coarse sand, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.
Drain soaked dates and add soaking liquid to processor. Add eggs, melted butter, and vanilla and process until smooth, about 15 seconds. Transfer mixture to bowl with dry ingredients and sprinkle drained soaked dates on top.
With rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold wet mixture into dry mixture until just combined and date pieces are evenly dispersed.
Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come 1/4 inch (6 mm) up sides of ramekins.
Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, crimping edges to seal. Bake until cakes are puffed and surfaces are spongy, firm, and moist to touch, about 40 minutes.
Immediately transfer ramekins to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes.
Using skewer, poke 25 holes in top of each cake and spoon one tablespoon (15 mL) sauce over each cake. Let cakes sit until sauce is absorbed, about five minutes.
Invert each ramekin onto individual plates or shallow bowls; lift off ramekin. Spoon remaining sauce over cakes and serve immediately.
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE:
Makes about 1 1/2 cups (375 mL)
1 cup packed (250 mL) or 7 oz (200 g) brown sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) light corn syrup
8 tbsp (120 mL) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) water
1/2 cup (125 mL) heavy cream
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Heat sugar, corn syrup, butter, and water in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until sugar is fully dissolved, about two minutes.
Continue to cook, without stirring, until mixture begins to bubble, one to two minutes. Take the sauce off the heat, carefully stir in cream and vanilla; mixture will bubble and steam. Continue to stir until sauce is smooth. Let cool slightly.
Sauce can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. Gently warm in microwave, stirring every 10 seconds, until pourable, before using.