Ingredients
Units
For the dates:
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups (16oz /450g) dried dates, pitted and chopped (see notes below)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the cake:
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons (60g) unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (125g) 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 water to a boil. Put the dates and 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and set aside until needed.
- Sift flour, cocoa, remaining ¾ teaspoons baking soda, and salt over a bowl and set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar (with electric beaters 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 the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat an additional 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla 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 chocolate chips on top, then the 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.Â
Notes
- Dates: use Medjool if you can, they are superior for this recipe. You need to chop them and they are sticky. 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. It makes a difference if you use good chocolate.
- Baking: the recipe calls for baking them in two parts, without the topping first and then after adding the walnuts and chips. This will ensure that they don't burn during baking (image below). But you can add the topping from the beginning. I think it's better to do it halfway. But do take into account not opening the oven before 20 minutes have passed; this will ensure 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.
- Variation: you can make cupcakes or individual cakes. Take into account the following: be careful not to over bake them; don't add any other topping to serve them. They are fabulous as they are; halve the recipe unless you want to make a lot of small cakes. This is a large recipe.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12
- Calories: 473
- Sugar: 45.7 g
- Sodium: 295.8 mg
- Fat: 23.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 65.3 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7.2 g
- Cholesterol: 51.3 mg