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Josh’s Recipes

Ginger & Date Cake

9 1” slices

servings

-

total time

Ingredients

150g/ml heavy cream

150g date molasses (or black treacle), plus more to glaze (if you like)

50g unsalted butter

100g dark brown sugar

200g self-rising flour (or 200g all-purpose flour plus 2 tsp baking powder)

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cardamom

½ tsp table salt

130g pitted dates, chopped

50g crystallized ginger, chopped, plus more to garnish (if you like)

1 egg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F/325°F convection.

Butter an 9-by-5 inch loaf tin and line with a sheet of baking parchment to cover the base and long sides, allowing a little overhang so that this can be used to help lift the cake out later.

Warm the cream, date molasses, butter and sugar together in a large saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is just starting to boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the flour, spices and salt.

Mix in the chopped dates and ginger, then add the egg and combine thoroughly before transferring the batter to the lined tin.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, then turn the tin around for an even bake and leave for another 30 minutes.

At this stage it should still be a little soft to the touch, but stable and with a lovely thick crust. You can't really test this cake with a toothpick as it has a gooey texture even when fully baked, but if you push down a little with the tip of your finger in the center and it doesn't sink, remove from the oven. If you feel there is still quite a bit of softness there, bake for a further 10 minutes, but do take it out after that - you will just have to trust me that it will be fine once it has cooled.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush it generously with the extra date molasses (if using) and leave to cool in the tin.

If you want to make this look really special, chop up some more crystallized ginger, toss it in granulated sugar and sprinkle the pieces all over the sticky top. Don't worry if you can't be bothered; it is delicious just as it is. This is a cake that improves with age (within reason), so it is even better the day after baking, and lasts well for a couple of weeks in an airtight container.

Notes

From: ‘Golden Sweet & Savory Baked Delights from the Ovens of London’s Honey & Co.’ by Itamar Srulovich & Sarit Packer

9 1” slices

servings

-

total time
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