Such a delicious “healthy” cake! It’s the first time I baked with actual fruits in the cake batter. Because there’s fruit in it, I totally feel less guilty after eating multiple slices :)
Recipe adapted from Yummychelle and 7×7.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 cup pitted dates (I used Deglet dried dates)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (4.5 ounces) butter, softened (I used European unsalted butter)
- 3/4 to 1 cup sugar (I used just a little less than 1 cup)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (50 grams) coconut flakes (I used just a tad more)
- 1 pear (bartlett), peeled and small-diced
- 1/3 apple, peeled and small-diced
- powdered sugar
Directions:
Soften butter to room temperature by spooning it out into relatively thin slices. It should take about 40 minutes to soften. Do not microwave.
In a saucepan, bring water and dates to a boil for about 5 mins or to the point where some of the water has evaporated and mostly infused with the dates. Also, make sure the dates are boiled to the point where it is relatively soft and easy to crush them into some smaller pieces with a wooden sptaula. (This part is crucial since it will determine how moist the cake will turn out. To be safe, I’d boil it a little longer to evaporate more of the water).
Then whisk in baking soda. (It should turn into a brownish charcoal-ish color). Set aside to cool to room temperature. (Or if you were impatient like me.. let it cool down a little and then stick it in the fridge for about 15 minutes)
In a mixing bowl (not a stand mixer bowl), mix and sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Preheat the oven at 350F.
In the stand mixer bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg. Mix until it looks light and airy. This will make the cake fluffier. (Takes at least 3 minutes to mix. I started out with stir level 2 and went up to level 4).
Slowly add the room temperature date mixture and mix at low speed until incorporated.
Then slowly add dry ingredients also at low speed until blended, careful not to over-mix.
(The Coconut Flakes
Fold in coconut, pear, and apple with a large rubber spatula.
Pour mixture into a greased springform pan(I mildly greased the sides of the pan with some vegetable oil on a paper towel) springform pan. Evenly spread out the batter in the pan and try to smooth out the batter at the top.
You could put a generous layer of white sugar for a crusty top. I tend to not like my cake too sweet, so I just put on a thin layer of powdered sugar.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Rotate pan in oven, and then continue to bake in for 15 minutes. Insert a clean toothpick into the middle of the cake, and if it comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, rotate pan and continue to bake in 10-minute increments. (Mine was done after the initial 15 minutes. It may take a little longer to bake if there was more liquid in the date mixture).
Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the cake. (The best and most even way to sprinkle is to use a thin strainer or tea strainer).
Look at this deliciousness~ Enjoy~~
piglicious 