Description
Sticky apple carrot date cake with vanilla cream brings together moist, naturally sweetened layers that stick around long after your first bite. Your taste buds get that perfect balance of spiced warmth and creamy vanilla frosting that makes this cake one you reach for again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake:
- 1 cup (150g) pitted dates, chopped
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (130g) grated carrots
- 1 medium apple, peeled and grated
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups (160g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 pinch of salt
Vanilla Cream:
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- Pour 1 cup of boiling water over your 1 cup of chopped dates and stir in 1 tsp of baking soda, then let this mixture sit for 10 minutes until softened.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, then set aside.
- Beat 1/2 cup of softened butter with 3/4 cup of brown sugar in a large bowl for 2-3 minutes until the mixture turns light and fluffy.
- Add your 2 large eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
- Gently fold your dry ingredients into the butter mixture using a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in your 1 cup of grated carrots, 1 medium grated apple, and the softened dates along with their soaking liquid until everything is evenly distributed.
- Transfer your batter to the prepared pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- While your cake bakes, pour 1 cup of heavy cream into a chilled bowl and whip it for 1-2 minutes until soft peaks form.
- Add 2 tbsp of powdered sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla extract to your whipped cream and beat for another 30 seconds until combined.
- Remove your cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve slices of your cooled cake with a dollop of vanilla cream on the side.
Notes
- Grate your apples and carrots just before mixing them in so they stay moist and don’t oxidize or dry out during preparation.
- Soak your dates in warm water for 10 minutes before adding them to soften them completely and distribute their sweetness throughout the cake.
- Don’t overmix the batter after combining wet and dry ingredients, as this can make your cake tough instead of tender and moist.
- Check if your cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not completely clean, since the dates and apples keep it naturally sticky.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 327 kcal
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg