Chocolate Chip Date Cake
Sweet, moist, and full of chocolate flavor, this date cake is a dream come true for chocoholics with its rich cocoa flavor and soft texture. The crunchy surprise from the walnuts and chocolate chips on top makes it irresistible.
Servings 12 servings
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
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. Be careful not to overbake 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.