Navigate to Food section

Apple-Sticky Date Cake with Honey Cardamom Caramel Sauce (P)

June 10, 2021

A Rosh Hashanah meal shared with family and friends is one of the first acts of the New Year, and it’s as positive and life affirming an act one can perform. After all, nothing says ‘We’re here, we made it through another year, L’Chaim!’ like a festive meal shared and savored with loved ones.

Featured in: A Rosh Hashanah Meal With Meaning

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 1cup pitted dried dates, chopped
  • 1cup hot water
  • 1teaspoon baking soda
  • 1apple, peeled
  • 1 ½cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½teaspoons baking powder
  • cup coconut oil spread *, softened
  • ¾cup sugar
  • 2eggs
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract

for the caramel sauce

  • ½cup sugar
  • ½cup honey or silan date syrup**
  • ½cup coconut milk
  • 1tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½teaspoon cardamom
  • ¼teaspoon salt
Yield: 6-8 generous servings

Preparation

To make the Apple-Sticky Date Cake with Honey Cardamom Caramel Sauce (P)

  • Step 1

    Place chopped dates in a small bowl. Dissolve baking soda into hot water, and then pour over the dates. Cover and set aside for an hour.

  • Step 2

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan.

  • Step 3

    Coarsely grate the peeled apple and add to the bowl containing the dates.

  • Step 4

    In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside momentarily.

  • Step 5

    In a large bowl cream together coconut oil spread and sugar. Add eggs into batter one a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.

  • Step 6

    Starting with the flour mixture, and alternating with the apple-date mixture, mix into the batter with a wooden spoon in increments, ending with the flour mixture.

  • Step 7

    Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown, and the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

To make the Honey Cardamom Caramel Sauce

  • Step 1

    In a medium-sized heavy saucepan mix together sugar with honey or silan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes, it will bubble and froth and might be difficult to decipher the color of the caramel. A good way to ascertain the color is to drip a few drops onto a white background (parchment paper, white plate). It is ready for the next step when the mixture is a deep amber and smells like caramel.

  • Step 2

    Remove pan from the heat and carefully pour in the coconut milk, it will froth up. With a wooden spoon mix the caramel until a thick syrup results. Return to heat, but lower to a simmer. Add vanilla and cardamom, mix well. Stir in salt. Let simmer for an additional minute.

  • *Coconut Oil Spread can be found in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets and most health food stores.
    **Silan can be found in some Kosher markets in the Israeli products section.