Rich, cozy, and full of nostalgic flavor, this plant-based sticky date cake features warm Medjool dates, creamy toffee sauce, and scoops of vanilla bean ice cream - no eggs or dairy needed.
Ingredients
For the toffee sauce
- ⅔ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup + 2 tsp (200 ml)vegan cooking cream
- ⅓ cup (85 g) vegan butter
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
For the date cake
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp (15 g) cocoa powder divided
- 1⅓ cups (165 g) whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup (40 g) ground almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp (24 g) ground flaxseeds
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 10 oz (280 g) Medjool dates pitted
- 1 cup (250 ml) unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup (100 g) vegan butter softened
- ¼ cup (60 g) muscovado sugar (see Notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
- Vegan vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- To make the Toffee Sauce, place the light brown sugar in a saucepan and cook on low heat, until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Do not stir. When you see patches of melted sugar, slightly shake the pan so the dry sugar mixes with the melted sugar. Be patient with the process of making the sauce. Melted sugar can very easily burn, so it’s better to supervise the entire time and work on low heat and with vigilant care. When the sugar starts bubbling and gets slightly darker in color, add the cooking cream and stir. Be careful as the mixture will get very bubbly at this point.
- Simmer on low–medium for 1 additional minute. The sauce should look creamy and slightly brown and at this point it will be runny. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool down and thicken, then add the vegan butter, vanilla and salt and stir until the butter has completely melted. Transfer the Toffee Sauce into a bowl with a pouring spout and set aside to cool. For an easy alternative to making the Toffee Sauce, see the Notes.
- To make the Date Cake, preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C), set an oven rack in the middle position and grease an 8-inch (20-cm) square cake pan with vegan butter. Dust with 1 teaspoon of the cocoa powder and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix the wheat flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a small cup, mix the ground flaxseeds with the water and let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes, until thickened.
- To a high-speed blender, add the pitted dates and almond milk. Blend well until a smooth paste has formed. Add the vegan butter, muscovado sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and flaxseed mixture to the date paste. Blend until well combined.
- Pour the date mixture into the flour mixture and incorporate gently, using a spatula. Don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. After the first 25 minutes, lower the temperature to 370°F (175°C) and bake for the remaining 15 minutes, until slightly darker on the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool slightly in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Slice the cake into rectangles while still warm and place on individual plates. Add one scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on each slice and drizzle 1 to 3 tablespoons (15 to 45 ml) of Toffee Sauce on top of each serving. Enjoy right away.
Notes
Muscovado sugar can be purchased online, or you can substitute dark brown sugar. An easy alternative method of making the Toffee Sauce is simply cooking the sugar, cream and butter together over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until slightly darker in color. The toffee will thicken when cooled. If preparing the cake ahead of time, remove the cake from the pan and store in an airtight container. Slice and then warm each piece in the microwave for about 30 seconds before serving. You can also gently warm the Toffee Sauce before using to make it more pourable.
Muscovado sugar can be purchased online, or you can substitute dark brown sugar. An easy alternative method of making the Toffee Sauce is simply cooking the sugar, cream and butter together over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until slightly darker in color. The toffee will thicken when cooled. If preparing the cake ahead of time, remove the cake from the pan and store in an airtight container. Slice and then warm each piece in the microwave for about 30 seconds before serving. You can also gently warm the Toffee Sauce before using to make it more pourable.