Date and Pecan Cake
A recipe for the Create Cooking Challenge: My Family’s Recipe from Pati Jinich, host of Pati’s Mexican Table. Enter the Create Cooking Challenge: My Family's Recipe today on CreateTV.com/challenge.
From Pati's Mexican Table
Recipe Ingredients
- - Serves 10
- - 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pitted Medjool dates (about 8 ounces)
- - 3⁄4 cup boiling water
- - 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
- - 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
- - 1 teaspoon baking soda
- - 1 teaspoon baking powder
- - Pinch of kosher salt
- - 2 large eggs
- - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- - 1 cup granulated sugar
- - 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- - Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Recipe Instructions
- Place the dates in a small bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, until soft. Every once in a while, press the dates down into the water.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with a rack in the middle. Butter and lightly flour a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Transfer the dates, with their soaking water, to a blender or food processor and pulse to a coarse puree. Add the eggs and vanilla and pulse to combine. Add the melted butter and granulated sugar and pulse until well mixed. Add the pecans and blend to a smooth puree.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and scrape in the date mixture. Fold it into the flour with a silicone spatula until you have a thick batter. Scrape into the cake pan and smooth the top with an offset (or the silicone) spatula.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake is browned and slightly crusty, with some cracks on top. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out with moist but not wet crumbs. Cool completely in the pan on a rack.
- Run a knife around the edges of the cake pan, place a plate over the top, and turn the cake out onto the plate, then invert onto a serving platter (rounded side up). Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.