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This gluten free cake is a happy hybrid of chocolate torte meets sticky toffee pudding. It’s a dense cake bursting with sweetness and flavor. Medjool dates are what make it extra special. My goal was to come up with a date cake reminiscent some of the greatest desserts I could think of, but with my healthful twist. All natural whole food ingredients mean you can have a slice any time of day and feel awesome about eating cake. Sticky toffee sauce isn’t even necessary, really I promise this cake is a rock star without it.
I am so excited to be working with the best date grower in the states! I have loads of chewy, sweet caramely Bard Valley Medjool Dates here and I will be sharing gobs of recipes using them (if we don’t eat them all out of hand first!) The Bard Valley growers are responsible for 70 percent of the U.S. Medjool crop. These guys know a thing or two about how to grow the tastiest, most luscious dates in the world.
Do you bake much with dates? If your answer is yes than you know how awesome they are for adding a rich caramel-like sweetness and chewy texture. I also love using Medjool Dates in my no bake treats such as Chocolate Pecan Tarts, Chocolate Cheerio’s Tarts. They are awesome in my Baked Coconut Oatmeal with Pepper Nut Topping too. If you don’t use dates in your baking then let this cake can be your introduction.
This cake would be great served at Easter brunch, tucked into a lunch box, for breakfast or as a snack with a piping hot cup of coffee or glass of chilled milk. Chocolate, dates and pecans join together to form an irresistible flavor combo. Decadence in dates.
A really fun treat was taking chunks of this cake and making a layered Greek yogurt parfait. I slightly freeze & sweeten thick, creamy fat-free Greek yogurt and crumble up some of this cake. Tastes like an ice cream sundae.
This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for your entries. Congrats to Averie from Love Veggies and Yoga, Jenn from Jenn’s Menu and Lifestyle Blog and Kimberly from Fear’s Food. Enjoy your dates ladies!
Because I love you and want you to have dates for Passover, Easter and in celebration of everything spring I have teamed up with Bard Valley Medjool Dates to host a delicious giveaway. They have generously offered a prize pack for (3) MarlaMeridith.com readers that include:
- 1-pound box of Bard Valley Medjool Dates (plenty for this cake!)
- Bard Valley Organic Medjool Date Almond Roll (12-oz)
- Bard Valley Organic Medjool Date Coconut Roll (12-oz)
This giveaway is open to residents of the USA only. Winner will be chosen by random.org. You have until Thursday, April 21st, 2011 midnight PST to enter. Please do one or more of the following to enter this contest, leave a separate comment per entry.
- What is your favorite way to enjoy dates? Leave a recipe link if you wish.
- Follow me on Twitter @MarlaMeridith
- Copy and paste this tweet or make up your own: @MarlaMeridith has a delish Bard Valley Medjool Date giveaway for three lucky readers. Enter to win here: http://su.pr/6aa2ED
- “Like” MarlaMeridith.com on Facebook
- “Like” Bard Valley Medjool Dates on Facebook
- Post a link back to this giveaway on your Facebook page.
- Stumble this Post
- Grab a free E-mail Subscription to this blog
- Get recipe updates via RSS feed
- Link to my Chocolate Date Cake & giveaway on your blog.
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Dark Chocolate Date Cake with Pecans – Gluten Free
Makes about 10-12 servings
NOTES:
- I prefer to use high quality unsweetened chocolate pieces in this cake. If you want it sweeter and don’t mind the added sugar than use bitter-sweet or semi-sweet chocolate instead.
- Walnuts taste great in this cake too.
INGREDIENTS
- 16 pitted Bard Valley Medjool Dates, divide into 10 (for cake batter) and 6 chopped (for topping)
- 1 cup boiling hot Water
- 3/4 cups Corn Flour
- 3/4 cups Brown Rice Flour plus 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 cup Oat Bran
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Stevia Powder -or- 7 droppers full of Vanilla Stevia Drops, adjust sweetness to taste
- 1 large Egg, whisked
- 1 cup fat free Ricotta Cheese
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1/2 cup fat free Milk
- 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
- 3 ounces bitter-sweet or unsweetened Chocolate, Chips or chopped pieces
- 3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans, divided into 1/2 and 1/4 cup portions
Date Cake: Pre-heat oven to 350˚F with the rack in the middle. Line a 9×2 round pan with parchment paper. In a blender or food processor, purée dates with hot water. Set aside and let it cool. Whisk together flours, oat bran, salt, cocoa powder and ginger in a medium bowl. In another bowl combine date purée, egg, ricotta, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix together wet and dry ingredients. Toss chocolate pieces and 1/2 cup pecans with 1 tablespoon flour. Gently mix in chopped pecans and chocolate. Add stevia to sweeten and adjust to taste.
Put cake batter in the pan, be sure to flatten the top so cake bakes evenly. Gently press chopped dates and 1/4 cup pecans into the top of the batter. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out crumb free. Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Loosen cake from the edges of pan with a spatula and flip the cake onto a plate, remove parchment paper. Flip again so the dates and nuts are on the top of the cake. You can do this by topping the cake with a dinner plate, firmly pressing and flipping again.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with dollops of sweetened whipped cream, thick Greek yogurt, ice cream or frozen yogurt.
- Make a Greek yogurt parfait by layering pieces of cake with yogurt.
- Serve with chocolate sauce.
- Purée up some extra date sauce and drizzle over and dip away.
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[donotprint]Date Cake Recipe Links
- Chocolate Sticky Chocolate Pudding Cake Project Foodie
- Date Cake Nooschi
- Date Walnut Bars Elana’s Pantry
- Eastern Carrot Cake The Daily Spud
- Geraldine’s Date Cake The Wednesday Chef
- Sugar Free Chocolate and Dates Cake Green Kitchen Stories
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MarlaMeridith.com Disclosure: I have been compensated for my time to create a recipe, photograph and review Bard Valley Medjool Dates. I accept offers to post about products I love. I am proud to partner with BVMD on this project and to share them with you.
I love these date brownie that I make. That is, when I am not eating them straight up.
https://makingfoodandotherstuff.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/dont-worry-be-happy/
I get the rss feed already.
I love to eat dates plain or with peanut butter!
That cake looks amazing by the way!
This must be so tasty! I love how moist dates make a cake, and I love the sweetness they give off. Beautiful cake 🙂
What a beautiful cake! That combination is awesome. Just perfect!
Cheers,
Rosa
I love the natural sweet caramel flavor that dates give to baked goods. I also love eating them plain, like you said they are hard to resist!
awesome give away!
fave way to enjoy dates is in many of my raw/no bake vegan balls and bites
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/01/ball-recipes.html
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I am a huge fan of dates!! I think we go through a pound per week! mmmm love them on long bike rides too. Your cake looks fabulous and I love the wholesome ingredients. What a great giveaway!
Kristin: A pound of medjool dates a week??!! Awesome. I much prefer something like this date cake or dates with PB for workouts than packaged power bars. Your bike rides sound awesome! Just saw what you have been up to over at your blog. I miss those days of marathon training and super long scenic bike rides. Perhaps when my kids are bigger 🙂
This cake looks so delicious and dense!
I have to admit I have never made a meal using dates…that cake might just be the incentive I need.
Nikki: Let this be your push to use dates….you will not regret it. Actually you might become addicted! So mane awesome recipes you can come up with using them.
My grandma used to make a date pudding that I loved. I never got the recipe, but it was so delicious!
Your cake looks fantastic, Marla! I can practically smell the combo of flavors here 🙂
Kristin: I love the idea of date pudding. Dates were pretty popular in the era of our grandmas. I think it is up to us to have them make a BIG comeback! Gotta come up with a healthy date pudding over here, sounds wonderful!
I tweeted!
I also follow on twitter 🙂
My favorite way to have dates is dipped in peanut butter right before I work out.
I have used them in smoothies for my kids and in many of my baking recipes, This past weekend I used them in chocolate peanut butter cupcakes. mmmmmm
I LOVE dates!
Heather: Dates dipped in PB, love that! That is a great pre or post workout snack. Adding them to smoothies is wonderful too. There is a very popular spot here in the OC that is known for there rich vanilla ice cream date shakes. People rave about them! Your cupcakes sound fab – do you have a recipe link for those?
My gosh, I had no idea dates could be used in so many ways… and I am SO excited about it! Thank you Marla… I will be buying some at the store today! (looking for Bard Valley of course!)
Do you know I haven’t had dates since I was little. My gradma always had them and it was a treat I always enjoyed at her house, I at them right out of the box, I’ve never baked with them and I don’t think I’ve even bought them!
This cake sounds AMAZING Marla
I really love date squares because they really feature dates so well, without interfering with the sweet, floral notes of the dried fruit. Here’s a link to a recipe I just posted this week-end (http://kitchenhealssoul.blogspot.com/2011/04/date-squares.html). I’ve actually never had tried the combination of dates and chocolate. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
I absolutely love juicy mejdool dates…..especially in a date and nute cake. Eating it layered between yoghurt is genious……I wouldn’t mind eating it paired with some custard either. Looks wonderful.
This recipe looks delicious! I grew up eating dates and they are a family favorite. I haven’t cooked with them much but it’s a great idea! Since my mom is gluten-free, this recipe would be perfect for me to make for Easter. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Marla, I love dates but haven’t used them for a while but after looking at your delicious cake, I have decided to get the dates and give it a try. I will call my neighbors in to share with a nice cup of coffee. Thanks for letting me know about the dates, chocolate and nuts together in a mouth watering cake. Can’t wait.
Fabulous cake! I love dates!
This date cake looks so delicious! I cannot wait for more recipes using sweet dates. I would love to make this cake right now. Thanks for its recipe. Keep posting these kinda recipes!
I love dates all on their own! I’ll always remember my first experience eating a fresh date. YUM!! Great all natural sweetener in granola bars too!
I’m a FB fan of FFC.
I Like MedJool Dates on FB too!
yummy, this inspires me to use dates more in my cooking!!
of course I follow you on Twitter!!
tweeted your giveaway!
I liked Medjool on FB!!
I like Date amarinth bread. 😀
I Stumbled your post!
Love this!!
Your cake looks absolutely delicious and your photos always knock my socks off! Another beautiful creation and you made dates look like a million bucks! Gorgeous recipe!
Oh my! Those Medjool dates are delicious. California does them so well! My favorite way to use them is in a smoothie with banana, almond milk, almond butter and a bit of ice. Yum!
This recipe is heavenly, especially the parfait idea, genius!
Here’s one of my favorite date recipes and super easy.
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/11/09/cookie-dough-babies/
My favorite dates are wrapped in prosciutto with a little slice of gruyere 🙂
Leah: I love sweet/savory date combos. Prosciutto with dates are a great party appetizer. Love the touch with nutty gruyere cheese too!
I love them wrapped in bacon. Eep!
Fun ways to use dates
Mmm I love dates and peanut butter!
I follow you on twitter!
And like Family Fresh Cooking on facebook! Love your site!
Just tweeted the giveaway! Hope I win!
I have a Date Cake recipe that I love, but every time I buy dates, they disappear before the cake is made.
susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
Like Family Fresh Cooking on FB (SusanB)
susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
Like Medjool Dates on FB (SusanB)
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I am “like” you on FB already!
I just liked Medjool dates FB page!
I already follow you on Twitter! Love your blog!!
Looks delish!
I just tweeted about the giveaway!
Oh my goodness, Marla, that is one incredible cake! Only you could make something so heavenly totally healthy. Truly amazing work on this. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe and fun giveaway… My favorite way to eat dates is just as they are! I love snacking on dried fruit. 🙂
I stumbled this post also!
I just “Liked” your Facebook page!
Because I spend so much time in Palm Springs I have grown to love dates! These recipes are some of my favorite ways too… GREG
This is a lovely cake and such a creative recipe! I enjoy dates straight from the bag or box!
Yummy!!!!! I love how moist and sweet dates make anything you bake. No need for lots of additional sugar.
The photos are sublime! I want to come over to your place and have a huge slice and enjoy one of those cups of coffee.
It’s so wonderful that of our favorite baked goods can be gluten free. Delicious and nutritious. You are amazing Marla!
I love dates stuffed with parmesan cheese and wrapped in bacon! Mmmm 🙂
Lauren: I have never had dates with parmesan, liking that idea a lot. Bacon….always the perfect choice.
Very beautiful cake! Love the dates, add character to the it (if there’s such a way to describe it) 😉
I love dates in my cake and this cake would be no exception. I will take a slice (or two), please!x
I love to make date muffins and energy bars. Here is one of my favorite muffin recipes (I swap put the regular flour for whole wheat): http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Ginger-Date-Muffins-100628
I follow you on Twitter. I am @purplelarkspur
Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/60012823211806721
I subscribe via RSS
I love just eating plain dates, although occasionally I like to torture my kids by pretending that they are beetles.
Nice Christine! It is kinda fun to mess with the kids from time to time. Bet yours giggle loud when you do trick ’em with the date “bugs.”
i love dates in date bars
liked you on facebook
liked medjool dates on facebook
I love eating plain dates, but I also chop them up into my oatmeal in the morning.
Marsha I love putting caramely dates in my oatmeal too. Mush meets goo meets fabulous! A big bowl of energy. Great way to start the day.
I have an email subscription to Family fresh cooking.
Oh, no. You just did that, didn’t you? You just said ‘dark chocolate’ AND ‘dates’. Amaze!
Brooke my friend, dark chocolate & dates are a match made in heaven. Can I be so trite as to say “the perfect date” 😉
I’m subscribed! 😀
http://katshealthcorner.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/i-am-coco-for-choco-date-muffins/
These are my favorite!!!! I love the Date and Chocolate Combo! 😀
In my opinion, Bard Valley makes the absolute best Medjool dates and they are the only brand I buy. I love them straight up as a yummy snack with a handful of almonds! YUMM!!
Vivienne: I am with you girl! Glad to read your enthusiasm about BVMD. They are beyond amazing!
I have a great recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip date cookies. They’re absolutely delicious and really pretty healthy!
Tricia: Must come up with a recipe for oatmeal chocolate date cookies – love that idea! A fun twist on the raisins or dried cranberries that I usually use.
I love dates in any type of breakfast cereal.
Dates are like natures candy. I love them as a pre-workout snack, or added to baked goods. I just made a carrot cake bread with dates as the sweetener (www.healthywwithheather.com/2011/04/nutty-whole-grain-carrot-cake-bread-with-no-added-sugar-or-oils/). Awesome giveaway Marla! Your cake looks just perfect too.
Heather: Thanks for sharing your carrot cake bread. Looks so good & love that there are medjool dates in there 🙂
What a great giveaway….. I absolutely love dates:)
Here is my entry
http://chillilovesmalli.blogspot.com/2011/04/96-sticky-toffee-date-cake.html
Malli: Just checked out your sticky, gooey date cake. Looks awesome girl, especially with that thick toffee topping!
My favorite way to enjoy dates is pretty simple–dipped into maple almond butter! Deliciously sweet and salty!
Morgan, maple almond butter is sounding really good right now. Do you make your own or buy it?
Gorgeous photography and the cake sounds delicious.
It was so nice meeting you last week at the Peko Peko Charity Cookbook shoot. Hopefully our paths will cross again at BlogHer next month.
-Lori
Hi Lori! I enjoyed meeting you last week too. Let’s be sure to connect at BlogHer Food. Can’t wait to see the completed Peko Peko cookbook 🙂
Sounds good. I will send you a message on Twitter or via email and give you my cell phone number.
The Peko Peko cookbook is going to be gorgeous!
I love putting dates in my homemade granola, and also in date-nut cookies that I make at Christmas. Great giveaway!
We make date pudding every Christmas…so good! But I’ve also been wanting to try making my own Larabars with dates.
I follow you on Twitter.
I like you on FB.
following you on twitter now!
and now, officially like Medjool Dates on facebook
and you on facebook!
Marla, I don’t usually cook with dates, but now you have me considering it, thanks to your great recipe. I love dates for snacks, so if I end up randomly winning I can promise you none of the luscious dates will go to waste!
xoxox
I’ve never had dates, so I think I’d want to try one straight outta the box first. They sound good to me though!
And I’m now following you on Twitter (@mischiefml)
What a gorgeous cake, Marla. I particularly like the parfait idea.
I like to top my cereal with dates and use them in baking.
I follow you on Twitter.
I “like” you on Facebook.
I “like” Bard Valley on Facebook.
I stumbled this post.
I like them in bars! I’ve never cooked with them. Neat giveaway. 🙂
Your cake is not only filled with wonderful healthy ingredients, but it is beautiful as well. I will sometimes use dates in place of raisins, but really enjoy them in quick breads with walnuts.
you’re in my google reader/RSS
tweeted (again) 🙂
This is a truly amazing cake! I love dates and it is not often you see such a wonderful post utilizing this delicious fruit!
Love it – can’t wait to try it!
Love the combination of dark chocolate and Medjool Dates! I enjoy Medjool Dates simply stuffed with a toasted pecan or walnut. They are naturally so sweet and rich.
I tweeted your giveaway!
I stumbled this post!
and I liked Bard Valley Medjool Dates on FB!
I love Medjool dates; they are the steak of dates. I love to serve stuffed dates for holidays. I make a savory stuffing using cream cheese with a little chopped cooked bacon and some minced parsley and stuff the dates with them and for a sweet, I like to stuff the dates with some mascarpone cheese that has been lightly sweetened and then roll them in either coconut or sugar. I sometimes also fill them with some leftover buttercream icing and roll them in finely chopped nuts.
Lynda, these are such fun ways to enjoy dates! Great idea with the savory cream cheese and bacon. Also love the mascarpone with coconut idea. The buttercream sounds decadent & fabulous! Thanks for sharing these recipes.
I love date nut bread—like this one from allrecipes:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/moist-date-nut-bread/Detail.aspx
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I am following you on Twitter and Tweeted your giveaway.
I liked Bard Valley Dates on Face Book.
I Stumbled You.
I am already receiving your emails; love them!
I love dates, never thought of it with chocolate. However, I do use dates for dessert in my culture.
I eat my dates straight out of the container. I’ve bookmarked this date shake recipe to try sometime if my dates will last that long!
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Date-Shake
I follow you on twitter. (@mclanek)
CCK’s fudge babies: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/baby-making/
Omg…when I eat those I don’t ever think I’ll need regular chocolate again…
Clair: I have read over and over that Katie’s fudge babies are beyond excellent. Thanks for the link, I must try them 🙂
This looks so good, I had put on my list to make a chocolate date cake. We’re on the same wave link, haha.
My favorite way is honestly eaten plain, like candy! Or I like to add them to whatever I’ve roasting in the crockpot because the dates soak up the juice and become deliciously divine 🙂
I’ve been looking for Medjool dates in our little town and can’t seem to find them…I’ve heard such wonderful things! I can find other types of dates so we add them to our homemade granola (dried fruit makes it sweet enough we don’t need extra sugar or honey). But I’ve been wanting to try these marathon cookies! http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2011/04/boston-marathon-cookies.html
I recently fell head over heels in love with dates! They really are incredibly sweet…almost like candy! this cake sounds delicious! Decadent but with a hint of virtuosity.
Joanne: I can see you have recently fallen in love with dates. Anne who just left a comment ahead of you linked to your awesome Boston Marathon cookies. Gotta try those, they are filled with great for you ingredients! How was Boston Marathon?? I am reliving my experiences there reading your posts about it.
seriously drooling here Marla!
I love to eat them straight up… like candy!!!
I followed you on twitter.
My mouth is now watering! I love dates!!
My brother just stuffed some dates with chorizo and then wrapped them in proscuitto the other day. Place them in a 450 degree F oven for about 5-7 mins and they are DELICIOUS!
Can you believe I have never cooked with dates? I love this idea for a giveaway because I have wanted to try and make handmade larabars!! =)
Krissy: Homemade Lara bars would be awesome & really simple too. I love having bars on hand for grab and go snacks and they are so much tastier when made from scratch. Medjool dates are the best “glue” for bars.
I enjoy dates in oatmeal or polenta for breakfast.
I stumbled this post.
Gorgeous cake Marla, I’ll definitely have to share this one with all my GF friends. 🙂
This looks wonderful! I’m out of the running but I just had to say that I adore medjool dates. They’re so sweet and luscious and do well as a dessert by themselves or with something else 🙂
I’ve only worked wth dates once before, making raw brownies…and they didn’t turn out so hot (ha! unintentional joke right there).
I’d love the chance to redeem myself and try to make another batch of gooey raw brownies with avacado-chocolate frosting!
Alyssa: Sorry to hear your first attempt at raw brownies did not work out – having had them myself I guarantee you will get it right. They are addictive! Love the idea of the avocado chocolate frosting too.
I’ve also ”liked” Bard Valley Organic Medjool Date on facebook!
That cake looks awesome! My favorite way to enjoy dates is in homemade snack bars/balls. Recipe: http://www.j3nn.net/2011/02/12/burgers-fries-and-balls/
I follow you on Twitter: @j3nndotnet
http://www.twitter.com/j3nndotnet
Tweeted this giveaway: @j3nndotnet
http://www.twitter.com/j3nndotnet
I “like” you on Facebook, but I just added you to my page’s favorites, too: http://www.facebook.com/j3nn.fb
I just “liked” Medjool Dates on Facebook! 🙂
Just posted this link on my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/j3nn.fb
I Stumbled this post!
j3nndotnet on StumbleUpon
I subscribe to your RSS feed! 🙂
My favorite recipe to use dates in has to be Averie’s vanilla peanut butter balls!
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/01/vegan-peanut-butter-vanilla-balls.html
Following you on Twitter!
Tweeted!
Liked Family Fresh Cooking!
Like Bard Valley!
My favorite cake in the world (so far) is a chocolate date nut cake that my mom has been making for decades. So I’m immediately captivated by this wonderful recipe, so full of lovely flavors. Must try!
Barbara: I remember you recently doing a beautiful post for date cake. Your Chocolate Chip Date Nut Cake
is gorgeous!
Hi Marla – I stumbled across your blog via Averie, you two are impressive young women! I love dates in any shape or form. I am a high-milage runner, so I rely on these naturally energy packed jewels for fast energy. I like to keep things simple and place one dollop of almond butter in the center – divine!
Hope I win 🙂
I LOVE DATES! I can’t wait to try your recipe. As for the contest, here is my favorite recipe. I actually just use it as an outline because there are endless combos and substitutions that can be made.
http://vergingonserious.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/delicious-anytime-anywhere-any-day-any-hour-amazing-power-bars/
What a gorgeous looking chocolate cake! Love the extra addition of dried dates…delicious!
My favorite way to eat dates is by replacing the seed with nut butters. So good!!
I liked Family Fresh Cooking on FB!!
I liked Bard Valley Medjool Dates!
I like to make crusts with crushed dates for my pies. Or just eat them drizzled with honey over coconut sorbet or Greek yogurt. Yum.
I think my favorite date recipe is just dates stuffed with peanut butter
I started reading a book that had a recipe for a morning smoothie including dates and since then it has become my favorite thing ever! It’s 1 banana, 1 orange, 2 dates, blueberries, and I usually add a little spinach to get some greens! 🙂
I am following you on twitter!
I tweeted the giveaway!
I’m following Family Fresh Cooking on Facebook!
I’m following Bard Medjool Dates on Facebook!
Your cake looks great, but I have to say that my favorite way to enjoy dates is with a little bit of peanut butter smeared on top or chopped up and in a peanut butter sandwich. It’s like honey + peanut butter but better!
Dates are a huge part of my raw regime. They’re the perfect sweet! Dates inspired this raw version of traditional Girl Scout Samoas. Enjoy!
http://bread-n-chocolate.blogspot.com/2011/04/girls-just-want-to-have-fun-and.html
I actually have only used them to make Averie’s raw vegan dark chocolate fudge balls, but they were HEAVENLY!
the first way is straight out of the bag! I use chopped dates in trail mix & my hubby likes my mom’s date cookies.
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I love eating plain dates with raw almonds! (I like to keep it simple!)
I love eating dates split open with the seed removed and a small spoon of peanut butter in the middle with a couple chocolate chips. Wow, yum 😀
I signed up by rss 🙂
Just dates stuffed with almond butter
what an amazing giveaway! i love dates just straight up but also wrapped in something savory
Wow, that cake looks fantastic! I love using dates to make raw bars, balls, and treats. Yum!
I love just eating dates raw! Also, I used to make a pretty good carrot cake bread with dates.
I’m super boring, but I really just savoring Medjool dates on their own – they’re utterly delicious!
Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite way to eat dates is to incorporate them into raw vegan desserts. Sometimes, I just like to eat them plain, though! Yum!
Honestly, I love popping the dates in my mouth. Plain ol’ dates. They are so delicious!!
I subscribed to your e-mail.
I love grinding dates and mixing them with almond, cocoa powder, honey and peanut butter for mini chocolate peanut butter date balls!
I’ve actually never made anything with dates before. I’d love to give this cake a try for sure! 🙂
i love making my own larabars with dates! dates is the major ingredient and then i add whatever i like in them like dried bananas, coconut, cashews, cranberries, etc. sometimes i even add protein powder 🙂
I am your newest Twitter follower!
I posted a tweet about your contest! Three lucky winners? Oh my, I hope one is me! 🙂
My favorite way to eat dates is to dip them in tahini – this is a common Middle Eastern snack that my Persian husband turned me onto.
I also love them in this purely fruit sweetened banana bread:
http://delshadduo.blogspot.com/2010/10/banana-date-bread-purely-fruit.html
I am a date virgin!!! lol No, really, I am. I have been dying lately to try them and what better way to start then with cake!!! Yummy!!!
@cararoo now follows you on twitter!
I ‘liked’ Bard Valley Medjool dates on facebook. These are my new favorite sweet since I have gone dairy free. There are so many good ideas and recipes to include them in!
I liked you on facebook (Can you tell that I am really desperate for a date?!? lol)
Cara: This would be the easiest date to go on 😉 No need to even primp or change out of sweats.
I ‘liked’ Family Fresh Cooking on facebook! Can’t wait to receive future updates in my newsfeed. Love your blog.
And I just subscribed in my google reader. Phew, that is the most I have had to work for a date before! 🙂 Ok, Ok, I’ll stop the puns!!
I tweeted
following you on twitter!
like you on facebook!
I posted on fbook!
What is your favorite way to enjoy dates?
Hey there Marla! I’m a vegan, and have recently started to try and purifty my diet and keep it as close to natural and free of processed sugar as possible. I have recently learned that I can take dates, mix them with some water, heat them up a bit, and smoosh them with a fork, and that creates a great natural sugar base for many of my baked goods. I love making mango scones with the date paste!! Might even make some now, yummy =)
-Kelly
My favorite way to enjoy dates is as mini energy snacks! I adore mashing them and combining them with cocoa powder and/or coconut flakes for a quick and easy energy-boosting snack!
I like dates in homemade Larabars. They give enough sweetness and stickiness to not use sugar. But they still look like roaches to me!
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i like to eat dates with raw nuts. yummy!
I need to know who ate most of that cake.
Jennifer, that would be me. I ate most of the date cake.
This cake sounds fantastic! My favorite use of dates in baking so far has been in my Squeaky Clean Fudge Brownies.
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tweeted for you!
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I like Bard Valley Mejdool Dates on Facebook.
And I stumbled this page. Thanks for the great giveaway opportunity!
Sweet Jesus….really like it! thx
Just like mummys…. l love it
fred
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Mmmm….I seriously have an addiction to dates! I love them! Surprisingly I don’t cook or bake with them too often because honestly they never last that long in my house! I think I need to give this one a try though! 😉
I just love, love, love dates! They are something new I have just started eating. So delicious and nutritious!
I like them split down the middle with a little peanut butter inside…YUMM!
dates are amazing mostly because they are SO stinkin’ versatile! my favorite way to eat them would be stuffed with cheese and wrapped with bacon. 🙂
i love eating dates with almond butter, microwaved for a few seconds!
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tweeted about this giveaway (cant wait to make this date cake btw!!)
I just signed up for an email subscription!!!
I like putting dates in my smoothies in the morning, it gives me a little extra oomph for my morning!!!
1 large or 2 small dates
1/2 cup OJ
1 scoop homemade protein mix
handful of greens(this morning was rainbow chard)
couple handfuls of berries or frozen fruit
1 whole banana
WIZZ away in a blender until delishiously smooth!!!
Meredith: Thanks for sharing that super healthy shake! Love that you got all those greens in there too 🙂
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I’m excited about this post. I have only ever eaten dates as the plain fruit, but was just talking to a friend last week about using them in cooking and then you go and post this. It looks great! Now I have a recipe to try. Thanks.
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I just love dates. I try to soak them to use in recipes but I end up stuffing them with cashew butter or chopping in the food processor and rolling in shredded coconut or just eating them out of hand until I’m too full to make anything with them.
Yum, I love dates! I like to add chopped dates to my (homemade) morning oatmeal. 1-2 dates per 1/2 c of oatmeal adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Dates with peanut or almond butter and cinnamon are my favorite dessert/snack. I also love experimenting with new date recipes because they make EVERYTHING delicious. Recently, I learned that Katie’s Samoas Babies were very tasty… http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/04/11/girl-scout-samoas-in-larabar-form/
I also just added Family Fresh Cooking to my RSS feed – read about your blog through Avery’s – looks great! and that date cake is happening very soon….
I love eating them plain! the perfect sweet to end a great meal.
I love Medjool dates in smoothies.
I “Liked” Family Fresh Cooking on Facebook.
I “Liked” Bard Valley Medjool Dates on Facebook.
Awesome giveaway! Just started following you on twitter as @lovesveggees 🙂
I just liked you on facebook! Thanks for the giveaway! love your site 🙂
Yay! Thanks, Marla + Medjool Dates!! 🙂
Dates and chocolate are just fantastic. Love this!
Oh man, my favorite way to eat cake? Probably as the base of a raw dessert, combined with some walnuts.I love to make raw gluten, so I use dates most often in those, or in crusts for raw tarts or cakes! Love that you made sticky toffee pudding a bit healthier.
Hi,
The “corn flour” in the recipe, is it corn starch? Or corn meal?
Thank you
Hi! There is actually corn flour you can find in the market. It’s an ultra fine cornmeal flour.
Loved you recipe! Will surely try!
Checkout the inspired:
BASIC CHOCOLATE CAKE without cream