Chocolate Date Cake

Chocolate Date Cake 
Source: Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg.  77.

I had a large bag of dates, well sealed, that I thought would have to be discarded. Well, apparently, they don't expire. Maida uses dates in a lot of her recipes. This cake is easy to make, very dense with a subtle flavor. The icing is quite good to have only two ingredients.

After making this, I realized that her Chocolate Date Nut Cake is the exact recipe, except with nuts.

4 oz. (1/2 packed cup) pitted dates

1/3 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup boiling water

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 oz. semisweet chocolate

3/4 cup unsifted unbleached flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350. Use the lower third rack. Line an 8x8x2 pan with foil allowing the foil to extend over the edges of the pan. Butter the foil and set aside.

Add the dates to a small bowl and add the baking soda and the boiling water. Stir to mix and then transfer the dates to a food processor. Process for 10 seconds. Set aside.

Place both chocolates in top of a double boiler and melt. Set aside.

Sift together the flour and salt and set aside.

In a mixer bowl, beat the butter until it is soft. Add the vanilla and sugar and mix. Beat in the egg, the melted chocolate and the pureed dates.

On low speed, beat in half of the sifted flour mixture. Add the sour cream and then the remaining flour. Beat only until incorporated.

Transfer to the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top bounces back slightly when pressed.

Cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and the foil. Let the cake stand while you make the icing.

ICING

4 oz. semisweet chocolate

4 tablespoons whipping cream

Chop the chocolate finely and place in top of a double boiler. After the chocolate has melted, add the whipping cream and mix until smooth. Let it sit for a few minutes, occasionally mixing. Pour the icing on top of the cake and spread it with a spatula, covering just the top of the cake.  Let the cake stand at room temperature.