Toffee Date Cake (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Dates

01 - 10 oz medjool dates without pits, diced (about 18 dates)
02 - 1 3/4 cups water
03 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

→ Cake

04 - 2 cups plain flour
05 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
07 - 1 1/4 cups packed demerara brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
09 - 4 tablespoons light molasses (not blackstrap)
10 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Toffee Sauce

11 - 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
13 - 1/2 cup packed dark brown demerara sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon light molasses
15 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

16 - 4 large egg whites
17 - 1 cup white granulated sugar
18 - 1 1/2 cups of softened unsalted butter
19 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Instructions:

01 - Combine the dates and water in a medium pot. Heat to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and let simmer briefly. Take off the heat, mix in the baking soda, and leave to cool while preparing the cake mixture. Mash the dates before adding them to the batter, and don't toss out the liquid.
02 - Set your oven to 350°F. Coat three 6-inch cake pans with butter or oil and a sprinkle of flour to prevent sticking.
03 - Mix baking powder and flour together in a medium-sized bowl. Keep it aside for later use.
04 - With a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the softened butter and sugar at medium-high for about 3 minutes. Gradually mix in one egg at a time. Add the vanilla and molasses and stir until fully blended.
05 - Add the dry mixture in three parts and follow up with the mashed dates and liquid. Beat until everything is well combined.
06 - Pour equal amounts of batter into the prepped cake pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick poked in comes out nearly clean, and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Prepare the Toffee Sauce as the cakes bake.
07 - Leave the cakes in their pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Then carefully flip them out onto racks to cool fully.
08 - Mix all the toffee sauce ingredients in a medium pan. Boil gently while whisking occasionally, then simmer for about two minutes.
09 - Whisk egg whites and sugar together in the stand mixer bowl. Place this bowl over a pot of lightly boiling water and constantly stir while warming the mix until it's hot and smooth (not gritty anymore and roughly 160°F).
10 - Using a stand mixer, whip the mix on medium-high until it becomes stiff and cool to the touch. This might take around 5-10 minutes.
11 - Swap the whisk attachment for the paddle. Gradually throw in cubed butter, mixing until creamy. Add vanilla and beat again to smooth it completely.
12 - Even out the cake tops by trimming them flat. Use a bamboo skewer to poke several holes in all the layers. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the warm toffee sauce over each layer and spread it across evenly. Let it cool fully.
13 - Put the first layer on a cake plate. Spread on about 2/3 cup of buttercream. Repeat with the remaining layers, stacking as you go.
14 - Spread a thin amount of frosting across the whole cake. Smooth the sides using a large scraper until the cake slightly peeks through. Use a spatula to even out the top.
15 - Let the frosted cake rest in the fridge for half an hour.
16 - If needed, gently reheat the toffee sauce till it's runny but not too hot. Drizzle small amounts over the cake's top edge with a spoon. Allow some to drip down the sides, then cover the top with more sauce and smooth it out.

# Notes:

01 - Make sure there are NO egg yolks in your whites, and grease-free bowls and whisks are vital for successful meringue.
02 - The buttercream might look curdled as you go, but stick with it—it’ll get smooth eventually!
03 - This version is inspired by one from Rock Recipes.

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