Holiday Cake with Pears & Dates

The combination of dates and pears create a rich and flavorful cake that is moist on the inside with a crisp caramelized crust. With the ingredients creating a dark colored cake, have some fun and stencil an image or phrase across the top. This would be a great cake for any celebration. Serve with powdered sugar decorated on top or with vanilla ice cream.

Holiday Cake with Pears & Dates

Author: Ashley Marti

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 55 mins

Total time: 1 hour 25 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried pitted dates
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ⅔ cup coconut flakes
• 1 large pear, peeled and diced
• powdered sugar for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cake pan and set aside.
2. Combine 1 cup of dates and 1 cup of water in a medium pan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Once it is at a constant gentle boil, mix in 1 teaspoon of baking soda and continue to mix for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and continue to mix for another minute. Set aside.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Using your freestanding mixer, combine butter and granulated sugar in the mixing bowl with the paddle attachment. Mix together on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the speed down to low and add 1 egg. Continue mixing, and add vanilla extract. Keep mixing and now slowly add the date mixture. Once the date mixture is combined, slowly add the dry ingredients. Before the flour mixture is completely combined, stop mixing. Remove the paddle attachment and fold in the coconut flakes. Gently fold in the diced pears.
5. Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes, rotate the pan and bake for another 10 minutes. Check to make sure the cake is fully cooked by inserting a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, it is ready.
6. Let the cake cool while you prepare your stencil. Remove the cake from the pan by inverting it onto a cutting board. Flip the cake back over and lay the stencil down on the cake. Sift powdered sugar over your stencil. Enjoy!

Notes

Makes one 9-inch cake

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