Simone Appetit: It’s a date … well it’s at least a date cake

You know how they say “you can have your cake and eat it too?” That is a lie. If you are on the summer slimming program, as I am (I can do it!) all you can do is write about them.

This recipe is amazing, the results definitely worthy of breaking your diet a little bit. Come to think of it, dates are on my diet. Dates will be on my diet if I serve this.

Rucker’s Famous Toffee Date Cake

Ingredients:

1 pound dates, pitted and chopped

2 tsp. baking soda

8 ounces butter

3/4 cups sugar

4 eggs

1. 5 tsp vanilla extract

2 1 / 2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

3 1/4 tsp baking powder

Sauce ingredients:

1/2 pound of butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Place the dates in a large saucepan with 3 1/2 cups of cold water. Bring to boil, stirring, to break up the dates.

Now let them simmer for one minute before removing from heat. Stir in the baking soda, this will cause the mixture to bubble up. Do not be alarmed. Do not run from this process, you are almost there.

Now, while this is going on, cream the butter and sugar together in a blender or food processor, if you are so blessed, until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl while you do it, so it is really blended. Now add the vanilla, the flour and then the salt. Just mix it briefly. You want a lumpy dough. Next add the date mixture in two batches because you need to scrape down the bowl as you are adding. Finally add the baking powder. More bubbles, but it is OK.

Now, pour the batter in to your two pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. I did mine for 35 minutes. While this is going on, make your sauce. So easy. Just combine the butter, brown sugar, cream and vanilla in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and stir gently for about two minutes.

Simone Grandmain is an internationally published travel and food writer who currently calls Truckee-Tahoe home. She welcomes your recipes, kitchen “must-haves” and food news at simonegrandmain@gmail.com.