This recipe takes what we love about cake and adds the sweet flavors of honey and dates along with the crunch of almonds to make a delicious dessert.
Is it wrong that I made this Arabic Date and Honey Cake, ate it for dessert, then had it for breakfast the next morning?
It seems sort of like a coffee cake, so I only felt about 60% guilty having it for breakfast on a Tuesday before work.
The husband doesn’t really do sweets, so whenever I make something like this I end up eating it one piece at a time over the course of a week or so, and then I have to buy bigger pants.
This cake is incredibly quick and easy to make, but the results are quite impressive.
It’s rather thin, but it works well for this dessert (breakfast?) because the topping is poured on halfway through baking so it spreads out and caramelizes on the top.
The dates and almonds add texture as well as depth of flavor. It smells so heavenly while it is cooking, you’ll hardly be able to wait to let it cool!
I had a piece while it was still warm with a BIG cup of coffee. Mmm.
Here’s the Recipe!
Arabic Date and Honey Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1/3 c. salted butter - plus more for greasing the pan
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. white sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
For the topping:
- 1/2 c. butter
- 1/4 c. white sugar
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/3 c. honey
- 1/2 c. slivered almonds
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 8-10 whole - pitted dates
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a 10-inch spring form pan with butter.
- Beat together the eggs, sugars and vanilla until it the mixture whitens in color. Drizzle in the melted butter and continue to mix well. Sift together the flour and baking powder, then add to the batter while stirring gently.
- Pour the batter into the spring-form pan and bake 10-12 minutes.
- While it is in the oven, get to work on preparing the topping. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugars, honey, almonds, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour the topping gently on the cake and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes. Let the cake cool, then release it from the spring-form pan and plate on a cake stand or server platter. Line the edge of the cake with the dates. Serve with coffee.
Hi!
Can i use browned butter for this recipe ?
Hi! I haven’t tried it with browned butter, but if you do, let me know how it turns out!
Hi! The cake sounds and looks awesome!! Just wanted to ask you though, Does this cake toughen up or does it stay moist after a few days ? And what if i use any other cake recipe like a genoise sponge maybe ?Thanks so much!
It does toughen up, especially as the topping hardens 🙂
Oh. Thankyouu so much!
Sinfully delicious cake, very flavorful. I have to make this cake soon. Thank you Anetta for visiting & for your wonderful comment 🙂
This looks stunning and delicious – I try to limit foods with nuts because my daughter is allergic, but might have to try it and hoard it in my bedroom : )
PS, I tried to like your page on Facebook but it looks like your SM icon at the top of your page isn’t linking properly. Thought I’d send you a heads up….
Looking forward to reading your blog more.
Oh yikes! Thank you so much for letting me know, Jessica- I tell you, sometimes I feel like I need a programming degree just to keep up with my blog!
You could definitely make the cake without the almonds if to wanted to – the candy coating is the real star, anyway 🙂
I would make it SPECIFICALLY for dessert. Looks delicious!
Thanks, Sarah! I ate most of it all by myself 🙂