This sweet and moist chocolate date cake is a dream come true for chocoholics with its rich chocolate flavor and soft texture. The crunchy surprise from the walnuts and chocolate chips on top makes it irresistible.
Incredibly moist
When a title includes chocolate, dates and cake, it immediately wins my heart—like, five minutes ago.
This is a rich chocolate cake. Unique, soft, tender, and different. It's what I always thought a chocolate date cake should be.
An ordinary-looking square of chocolate cake with some nuts and chips on top.
You should know that this recipe's combination of chocolate and dates is a complete synergy—much more than the sum of its parts.
I love chocolate cakes in general. But those with unique ingredients have a special place, like the chocolate potato cake or the chocolate Guinness cream cake.
What our readers say
I took the cake to work, and everyone loved it. You can't go wrong with this one. I will definitely make it again—next time for the in-laws.
- Jen
Amazing and super moist, with a surprising topping. A star recipe, will definitely make it again for special occasions. Thank you for sharing.
- Linda
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Cocoa powder: always use unsweetened.
- Chocolate chips: use your favorite semisweet chip.
- Medjool dates: they're soft and plump and fantastic for this cake. I've tried other types but they didn't quite work.
- Baking soda: make sure it isn't expired.
About Medjool dates
They're large, soft, fleshy and just plain wonderful. They are brown, wrinkled and slightly unappealing, but don't let their appearance fool you.
What do they taste like? It's hard to pin. It's sweet and toffee-like, with some smoky undertones. Sometimes, it reminds me of maple syrup.
Their natural sweetness makes them popular for vegan recipes or those without refined sugar.
Steps to make chocolate date cake
- Chopping the dates can be tricky, as they often stick to the knife. Chilling them first can make this task easier. If you're considering using a food processor and making a date paste, I suggest you do so with water. Otherwise, they will stick like crazy, and you won't get far. At least, that's my experience.
- Date pieces: If you manage to chop them very small, you will get a smoother crumb with a mysterious bite. Probably no one will guess what the secret ingredient is, as they will meld together and the crumb simply looks like an incredibly moist chocolate cake. Though larger chunks will be more noticeable, the cake is just as fantastic.
- Sift the dry ingredients. It's an important step, especially when you use cocoa powder which can clump during storage.
- Date mixture: Hydrating the date chunks in baking soda neutralizes the acids and tannins left in the dates, so don't skip this step.
- The cake batter is thick before adding the date mixture. When all the ingredients are incorporated, it will loosen up and turn silkier.
- The final batter looks like a regular chocolate cake with add-ins, and the dates will be more noticeable depending on the size of the chunks.
- Walnuts and dark chocolate chips are sprinkled on top of the cake halfway through baking and stay crunchy after it is cooled and chilled.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: Keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Use Medjool dates; they are superior for this recipe. They are sticky, and you need to chop them. Use a large kitchen knife, and don't worry if you have some chunks; they add texture to the cake. If you want them finely chopped, you will need patience, as you'll constantly have to clean the knife.
- Chocolate: use semi-sweet chips (a good brand) or chop a 60% (or more) chocolate bar into chunks. It makes a difference if you use good chocolate.
- Baking: the recipe calls for baking them in two parts, without the topping first and after adding the walnuts and chips. This will prevent them from burning during baking. But you can add the topping from the beginning. I think it's better to do it halfway. However, do not open the oven before 20 minutes have passed; this will ensure that the cake has that necessary first oven rise.
- Pan size: you can half the recipe and use a smaller pan. This makes a lot of servings and travels well, so keep that in mind when making desserts for barbecues, picnics and all of those wonderful summer gatherings.
- Cupcakes: be careful not to overbake them. Don't add any other topping or frosting. They are fabulous as they are. Halve the recipe unless you want to make a lot of small cakes. This is a large recipe.
- Topping variation: Use pecans instead of walnuts. If you want a sweeter cake, use part-milk chocolate chips to replace some of the semisweet ones.
- Brown sugar: you can use half white and half brown for a moister crumb with a caramel tone.
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Chocolate Chip Date Cake
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Ingredients
For the dates:
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 cups Medjool dates, about 16oz, pitted and chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup walnuts, very coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF (170ºC).
- Butter and flour a 9- by 13-inch (22x33 cm) and set aside.
- Bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil. Put 2 cups Medjool dates and 1 teaspoon baking soda in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water and set aside until needed.
- Sift 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, remaining ¾ teaspoons baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt over a bowl and set aside.
- Beat ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) at medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat on high for 1 minute, add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat an additional 2 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well.
- Add the sifted dry mixture and beat on low until well combined.
- Add the cooled date mixture and continue to beat for 30 seconds. Remove mixer and thoroughly combine with a spatula.
- Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly, including corners.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the cake starts to dry and rise.
- Take out of the oven, quickly sprinkle 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips on top, then 1 cup walnuts and return to the oven to bake for another 20 to 25 more minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remember you have the chocolate chips on top, not to confuse with uncooked batter.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
- I like eating it the next day because it tastes much better. I like to refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes before serving to firm it up, but the chips and walnuts harden, as a reader commented, so she prefers not to. Your choice.
Notes
Adapted from Death by Chocolate, by Marcel Desaulniers
Ellen Mitala says
I used a kitchen shears cutting the dates in half first. Then cutting in smaller bits.
Daphne Barr says
Love this recipe. I’ve made it for years but lost the recipe. I like the option to add the topping 20 minutes into baking..yum!