Grandma's Date Cake Recipe
This Date Cake, also known in our family as Grandma’s Picnic Cake, is a soft, moist cake filled with tender bits of dates and topped with a sweet, crunchy layer of brown sugar, chocolate chips, and nuts. The dates melt into the batter as it bakes, giving the cake a rich sweetness without being heavy, and it’s perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or a cozy dessert at home. A timeless recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Servings: 12 slices from a 9 by 13 pan
Ingredients
Date Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped, pitted dates 170 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5 grams
- 1 ½ cups boiling water 360 grams
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened 170 grams, see recipe notes
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 grams
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 250 grams
- ½ teaspoon salt 3 grams
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3 grams
Date Cake Topping Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar 110 grams
- ½ cup pecans or walnuts 75 grams
- 1 cup chocolate chips 170 grams
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Chop dates and place in a small bowl. Sprinkle baking soda on top of the dates and pour boiling water over them. Stir to combine and let sit to cool for about 10-20 minutes while you prepare the batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Add the vanilla extract and mix again until combined. See recipe notes for adding sourdough discard (if using, add it now and cream together).
- To a small bowl, fluff together flour, salt and cinnamon. Pour the dry mixture on top of the liquid mixture and begin mixing together until barely combined. Add the mostly cooled, soaked date mixture into the bowl and mix to combine. The dates will remain a little chunky, but once baked they melt into the cake and become wonderfully soft.
- Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the top of the cake with brown sugar, nuts, and chocolate chips.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into squares or enjoy warm!
Notes
Weight Measurements - Grandma’s cake recipe was written with cup and volume measurements, so I’ve kept those listed first. But if you have a kitchen scale, I highly recommend using it. This recipe has been tested with weight measurements, and that’s what I use every time to get consistent results. Flour in particular is tricky—everyone measures a cup differently—so if you use just one weight measurement, make sure it’s the flour.
Unsalted Butter - The original recipe called for shortening, but I don’t bake with shortening. I use unsalted butter instead and it works beautifully, giving the cake a rich flavor and soft texture.
Dates - I’ve made this cake with both whole pitted dates that I chop myself and pre-chopped dates from the store. Both work well, but chopping whole dates gives a slightly better texture because they absorb more of the hot water.
Extra Toppings - Our favorite part of this cake is the topping—brown sugar, chocolate chips, and nuts baked right into the crusty top. Feel free to bump up those amounts if you love extra gooey topping.
Sourdough Discard -To make a sourdough discard version, use a young or fresh discard for less “tang” in this sweet date cake recipe.
- Add 100 g sourdough discard when creaming the butter and sugar.
- Use 310 grams boiling water instead of 360 grams with the dates.
- Reduce the flour to 225 grams.
Nutrition
Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 424IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 0.5mg
