Dark, rich and beautiful, this sublime cake is an easy yet sophisticated holiday dessert.
Serves: 10-12
Prep time: 45 min
Baking time: 50-60 min
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce
7 T unsalted butter
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c Lyle’s Golden Syrup
1 c heavy cream
1/4 c bourbon
Date and Bourbon Spiced Cake
1 1/2 c Medjool dates, pitted, chopped
1/2 c prunes, pitted, chopped
1/2 c dark raisins
3/4 c boiling water
1/2 c good-quality bourbon
1 1/2 t baking soda
6 lg eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 c unsalted butter, melted
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 t cardamom
1 1/3 c brown sugar
Steps
Caramel Sauce
Place all ingredients in a med saucepan. Heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil and continue cooking for 10-12 min, until thickened. The sauce will rise and bubble, so make sure the pan is large enough. Remove from heat and cool for 30 min. Sauce can be made a day ahead. Makes approx. 2 c.
*An alternative caramel sauce can be made with 1, 11 oz jar of prepared caramel sauce such as Fran’s, 1/4 c bourbon and 1/4 c heavy cream boiled for 5-7 min until thickened.
Date and Bourbon Spiced Cake
Preheat oven to 325º. Place dried fruit, boiling water, bourbon and baking soda in a food processor bowl and let sit for 10 min, then process to a smooth paste. Scrape the side and bottom and process again for a few seconds. Add eggs, vanilla and butter. Pulse a few times, scrape the sides and bottom and pulse again to combine.
Place flours, baking powder, salt, cardamom and brown sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Pour the fruit mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well. Grease 10” Bundt pan and spoon the batter into the pan. Bake cake for 50-60 min, or until a tester comes out with a few small crumbs clinging to it.
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 min, then invert on a wire rack to cool completely, approx. 60 min. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with the caramel sauce.
