This Date Chocolate Cake is one I will make again. The recipe is easily adaptable to make it gluten free and/or lactose free. It has no refined sugar with the dates acting as the sweetener.

Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Date Chocolate Cake ♥
I don’t tend to buy clothes seasonally, but rather when I need them. And I do not like to get rid of items that are perfectly good to wear. I thought that my wardrobe had more clothes in it than necessary. To that end I decided to only move items into our new cupboards, as and when I wore them. At the start of our rainy season I only had a few winter dresses that had not been moved across. This was quite a relief, knowing I actually wear what I own. A few pairs of summer pants need shortening as they have stretched. And this is a task I will try and get done before winter ends. My drawers however were not treated the same way. I have had the same drawer system since I moved out of home and it has served me well for over 30 years.
Today’s inspirational recipe from Lavender and Lime ♥ Date Chocolate Cake ♥ #LavenderAndLime Share on X
When Dave put in my drawers I had to move the transportable rack to behind my bedside table. Using the same principal of moving items across as I wore them, it was going to be a slow process to empty it out. I have one drawer dedicated to tights that I only wear in winter, and another for thermal socks. These are reserved for the coldest months of the year. And we only get back from our holiday half way into June. I know the situation is not permanent, but I would like to get it done before too long. Then I am going to see if I can get the rack painted grey before moving it to the guest bedroom. Do you have a way of sorting out the clothes you do wear and don’t wear?
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Date Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 250 g pitted dried dates, roughly chopped
- 310 mls water
- 125 mls milk *
- 30 mls apple cider vinegar
- 2.5 mls bicarbonate of soda
- 125 mls olive oil
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 45 mls espresso
- 270 g flour **
- 50 g good quality cocoa powder
- 10 mls baking powder
- 5 mls fine salt
- caramel ganache for frosting, (optional)
Method
- Place the dates into a small saucepan and cover with teh water
- Bring to a simmer over a medium temperature and leave to simmer for 10 minutes
- Remove from the heat and blend until smooth using a stick blender
- Set aside to cool completely
- Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
- Place the milk and vinegar into a large mixing bowl and leave to stand for 5 minutes
- Add the bicarbonate of soda and leave to stand for 2 minutes
- Add the olive oil, eggs and espresso and whisk to combine
- Add the dates and whisk to combine
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl
- Add the date mixture and whisk until completely combined
- Pour the batter into a lined 23cm spring form baking tin *** and place into the oven to bake for 35 minutes
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin
- Remove the cake from the tin and serve as is, or top with ganache
Notes
** To make this gluten free, use a gluten free flour such as cassava flour.
*** The recipe called for 2 baking tins, but I did not think there was enough batter for 2 tins, so I used one and it was perfect.
recipe edit:
I know I am not perfect, and there have been typos in my blog posts, and sometimes forgotten ingredients. But then again, no one edits my blog for me. So when I see errors in recipe books it irks me, as they are meant to be edited and the recipes checked.
- The milk is mentioned twice in the method, once when it is combined with the vinegar, and again to add it with the oil and eggs. It is obvious the second instruction to add the milk is incorrect.
- I did not make the chocolate mousse for the middle of the cake as the recipe calls for 1 packet of sugar-free chocolate pudding mix and who knows how much that packet weighed?
- I did not make the dark chocolate ganache for the frosting as the recipe calls for 2 slabs of dark chocolate, and who knows how much the chocolate weighed?
Take a look at what was previously posted on Lavender and Lime on May 20:
- 2020: All Sorts Of One-Dish Wonders
- 2019: Garlic Parsley Butter
- 2018: Texas Ranger
- 2015: Moving Your Website To WordPress
- 2013: Linguine Marinara Con Ricotta
- 2012: The Versatile Blogger Award
- 2011: Tiramisu
Using dates as a sweetener is a very old tradition. In the Bible, references to honey normally mean date honey, not bees’ honey.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Thank you for that Mae, I just learnt something new.
This chocolate cake looks so decadent, love how you used dates for the sweetener!
Thank you Josiah 🙂
wait — you didn’t say how to restrain oneself from eating the whole thing in one sitting lol
with great restraint 🤣
Dates and chocolate?! I’m in! The texture is terrific!
Thank you Ben 🙂
This Chocolate Cake looks fabulous and I love that it is made with dates. It must have such wonderful texture and taste. I must try your recipe soon. Now you have my mouth watering for it!
Please let me know if you do try it 🙂