Here is some wholesome comfort food for Veganuary in the form of vegan caramel date cake. It’s a really simple traybake recipe, with a sticky caramel custard topping.
Much of the sweetness is from dates – they’re chopped in the cake and pureed in the topping. Alongside the dates, wholemeal flour and walnuts make this a healthy and high fibre option as traybakes go.
The cake itself has a texture a little bit like carrot cake, and you could upgrade it to more of a celebration cake with a vanilla buttercream or a cashew frosting. This simple version is sweet and sticky while being a little lower in sugar.
This recipe will make 16 squares like those shown in a 9″ square cake tin.
Vegan Caramel Date Cake…
Ingredients
- 150 g plain wholemeal flour
- 150 g plain white/unbleached flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 50 g dark brown sugar
- 100 g dates, stoned
- 50 g walnuts (or pecans)
- 110 ml olive oil
- 100 ml maple syrup
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
for the topping
- 60 g dates, stoned
- 35 g coconut oil
- 35 g dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- a few extra walnuts (or pecans)
method
- Set the oven to 180°C/360°F. Lightly oil and line the base of a 9″ square or similar-sized cake tin.
- Place 60 g of dates in a jug or bowl with 100 ml boiling water and set aside for the topping.
- Sift the flours, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl, and add the 50 g of sugar.
- Chop the dates and walnuts fairly small (roughly the size of large raisins) and stir these into the flour mixture until evenly distributed.
- Measure the oil, maple syrup, vanilla and vinegar into a jug or bowl. Add 150 ml of water and whisk to combine.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring as you go, to achieve a soft cake mixture. Do not over-mix.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking tin. Level the top if necessary and bake for around half an hour until it is well-risen, golden brown and firm in the middle.
- While the cake is baking, make the topping by blitzing the dates in a blender, still in their soaking water, with the vanilla and sugar until you have a smooth mixture.
- Melt the coconut oil and then blend this into the mixture to form a thick custard-like texture.
- Once you remove the cake from the oven, spoon the topping over it and spread it as evenly as you can.
- Chop a few extra nuts and sprinkle these over the top of the cake.
- Allow to cool before cutting.
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