Pecans Date The Cake

If pecans are not your favorite nuts, or dates your favorite dried fruit, feel free to switch them for something closer to your liking, such as walnuts and raisins. Whip up a quick icing made of 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, a few drops of pure vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) rum or nondairy milk, if you have the time and inclination: this cake is delicious on its own, but is also deserving of the extra attention!

Pecan Date Cake

Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup (235 ml) boiling water
1 cup (178 g) chopped dates
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 tablespoons (35 g) nondairy butter
1/2 cup (96 g) Sucanat
1/4 cup (61 g) unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups (180 g) whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (55 g) chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Lightly coat a 9-inch (23-cm) round pie plate with spray.
Pour water on dates in a medium bowl. Stir in baking soda, let sit for 10 minutes, or until cooled.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and Sucanat.
Stir applesauce, as well as the water and dates mixture, into creamed butter.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon on top.
Fold dry ingredients into wet, being careful not to over mix. Fold in pecans.
Place in prepared pie plate.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack.

Yield: One 9-inch (23-cm) cake

24 Comments »

  1. BitterSweet said,

    September 13, 2008 at 5:08 am

    This looks so delicious, Celine! And it sounds like it would make a great breakfast pastry, too.

    Reply

  2. destinyskitchen said,

    September 13, 2008 at 5:41 am

    “…not necessarily alcohol-based”, eh? Who are you and what have you done with Celine?! :o)

    Reply

  3. Anni said,

    September 13, 2008 at 6:06 am

    Oh this looks so lovely and autumnal! Am I just missing it or did the pecans escape the ingredients list?

    Reply

  4. fanny said,

    September 13, 2008 at 7:07 am

    and it looks gorgeous too!
    I’m so making this for breakfast.

    xx fanny

    Reply

  5. Celine said,

    September 13, 2008 at 7:09 am

    oops! thanks for noticing, Anni. I corrected it now. :)

    Reply

  6. Rosa said,

    September 13, 2008 at 8:42 am

    Pecans, dates and cinnamon, that’s a gorgeous combo! Yummy! Wonderful pictures!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply

  7. shellyfish said,

    September 13, 2008 at 11:39 am

    I haven’t pestled anything lately… I need to get on that.

    This does sound really yummy, but, I thought you were going to marry me? Should we have a three-way marraige? I’m ok with that. If there is cake, I mean.

    Reply

  8. VeggieGirl said,

    September 13, 2008 at 11:43 am

    When’s the wedding?? ;0)

    That pat of margarine is so elegantly nestled on the cake!!!

    Reply

  9. Celine said,

    September 13, 2008 at 11:45 am

    I think we can pretty much agree that we are the polygamiest polygamists ever, Shell, non?

    Reply

  10. Celine said,

    September 13, 2008 at 11:45 am

    it’s maple frosting, Liz. :)

    Reply

  11. Ricki said,

    September 13, 2008 at 12:48 pm

    I agree with Hannah–this would be my breakfast!! Sounds totally delish. And that poof of maple frosting really takes–oops, makes–the cake! ;)

    Reply

  12. VeggieGirl said,

    September 13, 2008 at 1:36 pm

    “best part? it’s fairly healthy too: rather low in sugar, and look at the small amount of margarine.”

    I interpreted the last part as referring to the dollop on the cake – sorry! :-)

    Reply

  13. Shelby said,

    September 13, 2008 at 2:27 pm

    yum! I love this recipe, it looks so delicious! I love the little dollop on top =)

    Reply

  14. Veggie Wedgie said,

    September 13, 2008 at 2:35 pm

    I’m not really into dates, but this looks amazing!

    Reply

  15. Celine said,

    September 13, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    no problem, Liz. it was funny.

    VegWedg, you could use another dried fruit instead. raisins would probably be great. (and if you say you’re not really into raisins, then I give up! ;p)

    Reply

  16. melanie said,

    September 13, 2008 at 4:30 pm

    this looks very very delicious!

    Reply

  17. vegan addict said,

    September 13, 2008 at 5:54 pm

    Want. Want. Want.

    You accept free stuff? Crazy girl. Nobody does that. It’s dangerous.

    Reply

  18. Courtney said,

    September 13, 2008 at 8:55 pm

    I am currently obsessed with dates! I *love* them! I am making this ASAP–yum. I have barley flour and spelt flour in my freezer, I wonder if a half and half mixture of them would work in place of wheat? Time to experiment!!

    Courtney

    Reply

  19. River (Wing-It Vegan) said,

    September 13, 2008 at 11:07 pm

    This cake looks divine! Actually this is probably what they serve when you arrive in heaven. “God will see you in a moment, would you like some ‘pecans date the cake’ cake?”

    Reply

  20. Mihl said,

    September 15, 2008 at 9:55 am

    I agree, cake weddings should be legal. And the cake already has her wedding dress on :)

    Reply

  21. Kat said,

    February 26, 2009 at 6:11 pm

    Here’s the story this time: I moved in with my betrothed in October, which meant that a lot of things got shuffled around in the pantry/kitchen area. And a few months ago, I thought that I had spied dates behind containers of beans and lentils–of course, I thought nothing of it until I got it into my head to make this today.
    So I went to find the dates, and when I pulled out the bag, it was really apricots! They were almost too tough to chew, and I thought them unsalvageably old. And yet! Soaking them a little longer in the hot water did the trick–the cake is very very good. (Oh, and I also used walnuts, rather than pecans.)
    Next time, I will be sure to make time to whip up an icing or a rum-glaze–this cake is definitely worth it. Thanks again.
    It’s getting bad: I find myself, at random points of my day, thinking about your upcoming cookbook and what I will make from it first.

    Reply

    Celine Reply:

    you are a baking machine, Kat! any chance you might consider starting a blog or flickr if you have a camera so that I can see your creations?

    Reply

    Kat Reply:

    Oh, Celine! I actually do have a flickr account–zemmely–and I’ve commented on some of your photos. I’m rather embarrassed of my pictures. I’ve only recently started baking and cooking more, and I’ve been vegan for only a year…(whereas my fiance has been vegan for over 8 years, and actually worked at Dragonfly, in Columbus, Ohio)…
    I don’t know. I’ll try to overcome my shyness. Thanks for the encouragement.

    Reply

    Celine Reply:

    it’s you!!! you shouldn’t be embarrassed, your pics are great!
    it’s awesome that your fiance used to work at Dragonfly. I was there (in Columbus) once, but never had the opportunity to eat at D-fly.
    kick the shyness where it hurts! your stuff kicks butt.

    Reply

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