Why I Love This Sticky Date Cake
Each holiday season I return to family recipes because they carry so many memories. While I often make the same trusted favorites, I also enjoy rediscovering older recipes tucked away in boxes and notebooks. This sticky date cake is one of those finds — a recipe my grandmother kept. Oddly, I don’t clearly remember ever eating it, but the idea of a moist, warmly spiced cake studded with dates felt instantly right for the holidays.
Dates used to be a common dessert ingredient, prized for their natural sweetness and slightly exotic flavor. Today, Medjool and other large dates are easy to find around the holidays, and I’m always tempted to bring some home. This cake is perfect for that impulse: it’s rich, almost pudding-like, and topped with a boozy, citrus-scented sauce that soaks into the warm cake. It’s simple to make, impressive to serve, and perfectly suited to festive gatherings.
More Christmas Desserts
- Cookies and cream fudge
- Peanut butter truffles
- Decadent chocolate mousse
- Brownie thins
- Quick, easy white fruitcake
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you bake this cake and enjoy it with family and friends. If you try it, please leave a comment and rating so others can see how it turned out for you — that helps readers decide whether to give it a go.
Sticky Date Cake
Ingredients
For the cakes
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped dates
- ¾ cup toasted chopped pecans
For the sauce
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp cognac
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp orange zest
Instructions
For the cakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread pecans on a baking sheet in an even layer. Toast in the oven 5–8 minutes until fragrant. Cool and chop coarsely; set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar for 3–5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs until well combined.
- Add the applesauce and vanilla, scraping the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Sift and combine the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt). Add them all at once and mix until no dry streaks remain, about 1 minute.
- Chop the dates. To make chopping easier, freeze the dates briefly or grease the knife blade. Fold the chopped dates and toasted pecans into the batter.
- Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan or eight 6-ounce ramekins. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean: 45–60 minutes for a Bundt pan or 20–25 minutes for individual ramekins. Allow to cool slightly before adding the sauce.
For the sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, and orange juice. Bring to a low boil over medium heat and continue to boil gently for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter, cognac, vanilla, salt, and orange zest until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Using a skewer or fork, poke holes across the surface of the warm cake. Slowly pour the warm sauce over the cake, allowing it to soak in; continue until all the sauce is used.
- Serve the cake warm. Add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to each slice if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!