Dates Carrot Cake (Bakery Style)

Wishing all my readers a blessed & happy Christmas !!

Have you tried a dates cake? Am sure most of you must have baked one if you are a baker. But this cake is something that we loved a lot, carrot and dates. This cake is an eggless, butterless version but is a super moist, delicious cake.This cake tastes best the next day after baking. I have tried baking this cake quite a few times now, and each time I have fallen in love with the texture of the cake. The carrot speckles in the cake are so evident and the beautiful dark colour compliments well with the Christmas theme cakes like plum cake. I would say if you plan to bake something in the last minute, then this is a great choice as all the ingredients are readily available and there is no use of beater. Do share the pics and feedback too if you try this out this Christmas season. Enjoy !!

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Baking time ~ 35-40 minutes

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ a 6' cake 

Ingredients

all-purpose flour (maida) 1 1/4 cups

baking powder1/2 tsp

baking soda 3/4 tsp

dates 13-15

milk 1/2 cup+ 1/4 cup

carrot 3/4 cup grated or two medium-sized

veg oil 1/2 cup

sugar 1/2 cup granulated 

cinnamon 1' piece

nutmeg 1/2 tsp

cloves 4

almond chopped 1/4 cup

Watch on YouTube -

 

Method

• Add the deseeded dates in warm milk
• Sift the flour, baking powder baking soda and salt twice.
• Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Powder till smooth. Keep aside.
• Peel and grated the carrots. Add 2 tbsp flour to the grated carrots, mix and keep aside.
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C and line a tray with parchment paper and apply oil, dust with flour. Keep aside.
• Add the dates soaked in milk and grind smoothly to a fine paste.
• Add the paste to a bowl, add oil. Mix well. To this, add the flour mix in batches.
• Slide in the flour mixed grated carrots. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk in batches.
• Add the batter to the prepared cake tin. Garnish with chopped almonds.
• Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes (mine was done in 35 minutes). I gave the top rod in the last 3 minutes.
• Remove to wire rack when done. Cool completely before cutting in slices. This cake tastes best the next day. Enjoy !!

NOTES

* You can add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

* You can add 1/4 cup chopped almonds or cashews too in the cake.

RELATED POSTS

* Dates Walnut Banana Cake

* Carrot Dates Pudding Cake

* Dates Walnut Coffee Muffins

* Dates Cakes (Eggless & Butterless)

Carrot Dates Pudding Cake

Christmas is just around the corner and how are your preparations going, friends ?
Wishing all a Merry Christmas in advance !!!

Here Christmas vacations are starting from today for kids and they are super excited. We are leaving tomorrow to our native place and so will be away from this space for a week. I know many might be visiting parents and relatives from far and near and it's a great time of the year to get together followed by New year celebrations. How quick is the clock moving, ryt ? Its just like a blink of an eye and a school year comes to an end and that's life. And before the last minute preparations, if you haven't soaked dry fruits and nuts for making Kerala plum cake then this cake is a great alternative.

We aren't celebrating Christmas this year as H's dad passed away early this year. Time heals everything but the very feeling of a dearest does make a difference when it comes to esp celebrations. Last year he was with us for Christmas and that very feeling doesn't invite a celebration mood. Kids don't understand these feelings much and for them Christmas is cake time, Santa gifts and much more. For their sake, I  made plum cake to enjoy. However, wine preparations took a back seat this year and so do the other preparations other than cake.Coming back to today's post this cake is a pudding type cake that is sticky at the top and moist inside. I have already posted a carrot cake recipe earlier but this cake is entirely different from that cake in tastes and texture. These days this pudding cakes are on sale just like plum cakes during this season. Last year I tried one of those carrot dates in the market and loved it. That's how I ended up baking this cake and am happy that I tried. I have already made this cake 3-4 times and last time I happened to take it home too. My cousins and parents just loved the cake. I thought to share this cake recipe before I move out on vacations and am glad I could make it.So if you are trying to bake something special this Christmas or wanna try a different cake other than Kerala plum cake(Christmas Fruit Cake) then this is a right choice. This is a butterless cake, so calorie conscious can also give this a try !!

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes
Cooking time ~ 35 minutes
Serves ~ 8*8 cake
Author ~ Julie

Ingredients
all purpose flour (maida) 1 cup
baking soda 3/4 tsp
salt a pinch
sugar 2/3 - 3/4 cup(10-12 tbsp)

wet ingredients
eggs 2
oil (any neutral oil like sunflower,vegetable ) 1/2 cup
milk 2 tbsp
carrots grated 1 cup
dates chopped 1 cup
cashews chopped 2 tbsp
almonds chopped 2 tbsp
vanilla essence 1 tsp

to prepare caramel
sugar 1/2 cup
water 1/4 cup

Method

• Sift the flour with baking soda and salt twice. Keep aside. Peel and grate the carrots, chop the dates after de seed, cashews and almonds chopped, leave aside.
• Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C.
• Prepare the caramel by heating sugar in a pan. Wait till the sugar dissolves and starts to caramel. Switch off flame when sugar is dissolved completely and turns golden brown. Add 2tbsp (1/4 cup)water to this and mix well( the caramel will be very hot,so be careful not to get burns).
• Beat the eggs with sugar using a beater or blender. The sugar should dissolve completely or powder the sugar and use( I have used 2/3 cup sugar only but you can go up to 3/4 cup). 

• Add the oil to the egg- sugar mixture. The mix may look creamy now. Add in the vanilla essence and milk.
• Add the wet mixture to the dry flour mix in three batches until incorporated well. Add in the grated carrots, chopped dates. Mix well( the batter may look watery unlike the other cakes but don't worry, the cake sets as it bakes). Add in the caramel and mix well.

• Pour the mixture in a 8*8 prepared tray and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes(mine got done at 35 minutes).

• Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool completely. Cut and serve once its cooled (the top of the cake is sticky and the inside is moist so the cake can't be cut in clean slices).

NOTES

* The amount of sugar in the recipe was 3/4 th cup but I have reduced to 2/3 rd cup and that went perfect for my family as it has carrots and dates(both have sugar in it).

* I have adapted the recipe from here and the recipe uses cashews alone. I have used both cashews and almonds. You can use cashews or almonds alone.
* The cake batter may look watery but don't worry the cake sets in as it bakes.

RELATED POSTS
* Dates Cake (Eggless)
* Banana Dates Walnut Cake
* Carrot Cake

Khajur Burfi | Dates Nuts Fudge | Dates Burfi (No sugar)

Once the school started,I always crack my head to make a healthy filling lunch box or snacks for kids.Moreover,every kid demands and loves variety in their lunchbox and snacks.Do you feel the same for your kids?? Its hard to feed dates just like that to my kids but this fudge was an easy quick idea.Dates-Nuts fudge /Khajur burfi is a healthy school snack for kids and is filling too.My younger kid is very fond of this sweet fudge.There is no use of sugar in any form other than the sweetness from the dates.Almonds,cashews,walnuts add to the crunch and health too.This recipe hardly has any cooking and can be made ahead and stored.It stays good for days and as winter is approaching dates and nuts are very good in this weather.I already have a Dates Nuts laddu in the blog that I posted few years back which tastes similar to this burfi.If you feel your kiddo is like mine,then definitely this is a must try snack on one of their school days and enjoy !!

Preparation time~ 15 minutes
Cooking time ~10 minutes
Serves ~20 -22 pieces
Ingredients
khajur /dates deseeded 400g or 2 cups
walnut /akrot 50gm or 1/2 cup
almond/badam 50 g or 1/2 cup
cashew nut/kaju  50g or 1/2 cup
coconut dry powder 25gm or 1/2 cup
poppy seeds/khus khus 20gm or 2tbsp
nutmeg grated 1/2 tsp
green cardamom/elaichi 6-7 or 3/4 tsp powdered
ghee 2tbsp

Method

• Roughly chop the nuts in smaller pieces and place on a plate.Also,chop the dates roughly in smaller pieces.Keep aside.
• Heat the pan and dry roast all the chopped nuts for 4-5 minutes on medium  flame without burning.Transfer on the plate and leave aside. 

• In the same pan,add ghee.When its hot,add the poppy seeds(khus khus).Roast for 2 minutes on low flame.Add in nutmeg and cardamom powder.
• Then add in the chopped dates.Then add in chopped nuts and dry coconut powder.Keep miuxing on low flame and combine well till it comes together(2-3 minutes).Switch off flame.
• Apply a little ghee on palm and using both hands,bring the mixture together and make cylindrical shapes.Make 4-5 cylindrical shapes.
• Wrap in cling wrap or aluminium foil and refrigerate for one hour.After one hour,cut in slices and serve it.
• Refrigerate left overs and store in air tight containers. 

NOTES
*The recipe is adapted from here.
* Use the soft dates to make this recipe as with the hard ones its difficult to hold together and breaks in  pieces once sliced.
* You can finally roll these cylindrical shaped rolls in pistachio powder or coconut to add a coating which I omitted.
* If you are using freshly grated coconut,then roast the coconut separately so that the moisture is dried out and then add to the dates nuts mixture.But make sure the coconut is not very much browned.

A few interesting recipes with dates that my family loves,do check out-
*Banana Dates Walnut Cake
* Pinwheel Dates Cookie
* Chocolate covered almond stuffed dates
* Dates Sweet Balls(no cooking)
* Dates Pickle