Gooey, sticky and unapologetically sweet are not qualities I generally look for in a dessert; usually I prefer a good, sturdy piece of Stilton and a slice of crisp pear. But this cake, dotted with dates and covered in a warm caramel sauce, changed my mind. It's also perfect for holidays -- think midday snack, drop-in guests or a treat after a long, hard ski or hike.
I first made this years ago, based on the classic British sticky toffee pudding, but have made modifications over the years, including adding some chopped crystallized ginger in the whipped cream topping. I also like a swirl of crème fraîche in the caramel sauce to balance out the richness.
Many older recipes call for chopping the dates, which is easier, while more modern versions call for puréeing them, which yields a lighter texture. Either way works, so it's really a matter of taste. For this time of year, try adding just a touch of cinnamon or cardamom.
I like this as a poke cake — meaning you make small holes in the cake and, while still warm, pour some of the sauce over to soak into the cake for a sticky and moist treat. Save some of the caramel to swirl with crème fraîche or softened vanilla ice cream or yogurt to serve on the side. Serve with a glass of port, a sweet Spanish sherry like Pedro Ximenez or an ice wine. Think of this as a last hurrah before those New Year's resolutions of austerity and restraint kick in.
Spiced date and caramel poke cake
12 ounces (about 2 1/4 cups) dates
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cup boiling water
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon (optional)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
Sauce:
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup brown sugar, preferably dark
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange, preferably organic (optional)
To serve:
Unsweetened whipped cream combined with 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger; crème fraîche; vanilla ice cream
1. Make the cake: Remove and discard pits from the dates and finely chop. Place chopped dates in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Stir in baking soda and let sit 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 9-by-2-inch round or an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan; set aside. If you're worried about the cake sticking, line pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.
3. In a medium bowl (or stand mixer), beat together the softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low, add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Combine flour and salt and cinnamon or cardamom, if using; add to butter-egg mixture, and mix just until combined. Add hot dates and water, and stir/mix until combined. Add baking powder and stir/mix. Batter will be runny, but don't worry. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out mostly clean.
4. While cake is baking, make the caramel. Combine butter, cream, brown sugar and vanilla in a medium to large saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and let cook, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof glass measuring cup or bowl.
5. Remove cake from oven and poke holes, using a thin chopstick or toothpick, all over the surface. Pour half of the caramel sauce over the cake and let it soak about 30 minutes.
6. At this point, you can scoop out slices of the cake directly from the pan or turn cake out onto a serving dish (remove parchment, if using). Gently reheat the caramel sauce. Serve slices of cake with (unsweetened or very lightly sweetened) whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche and some more caramel poured over.
Kim Sunée is the best-selling author of "Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home" and "A Mouthful of Stars." For more food and travel, visit kimsunee.com and instagram/kimsunee.