Oh friends, this spice cake is truly the one of my dreams. Earthy rye flour combines with warm spices, dark brown sugar and tender dates, all finished with a warm sweet‑salty caramel drizzle. It has quickly become an afternoon fika favorite here.
Why This Recipe Works
This Spice Cake with Dates and Rye stands out for several reasons:
- It uses a blend of rye and all‑purpose flour, giving the cake an earthy depth from the rye and reliable structure from the all‑purpose flour.
- The dates are chopped and softened in boiling water, which distributes them evenly and gives a pleasant texture and concentrated sweetness throughout the cake.
- Instead of butter, this cake uses canola or vegetable oil, which creates a tender, moist crumb that stays soft even after a day or two.
The Ingredients
Key ingredients and their roles:
- Rye flour + all‑purpose flour. Rye adds flavor and a hearty texture while all‑purpose flour supplies gluten for lift. Dark rye gives the best flavor.
- Dates + baking soda. Chopped dates are mixed with baking soda and covered with boiling water to soften the skins, improving texture in the finished cake.
- Cinnamon and cardamom. These warm spices give the cake its cozy, aromatic profile.
- Dark brown sugar + granulated sugar. The blend gives a caramel‑like sweetness that complements the dates without overpowering them.
- Canola or vegetable oil. Oil keeps the cake moist and tender because it remains fat in liquid form, unlike butter which contains water.
- An optional 3‑ingredient salted caramel sauce makes a lovely finish, though a dusting of powdered sugar also works.
The Equipment
A 9‑inch springform pan is ideal because the sides detach for easy serving. A regular 9‑inch cake pan can be used, but you’ll need to invert the cake to remove it.
How To Make This Recipe
This cake is simple to prepare and requires no mixer.
- Chop the dates and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with baking soda and pour boiling water over them to cover. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
- Whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and cardamom in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the canola oil, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla until blended. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth and slightly pale.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, then fold in the drained dates so they’re evenly distributed.
- Spoon the batter into a greased and floured 9‑inch springform pan and smooth the top with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40–45 minutes, until the cake is puffed, firm in the center and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool before removing the springform sides. Serve warm or at room temperature with the optional salted caramel sauce.
Expert Tips
A few simple tips to make sure the cake turns out perfectly:
- Use soft, fresh brown sugar. Soft brown sugar blends more smoothly with the oil and sugars for an even texture.
- Don’t underbake. The cake can look set when it’s still slightly underdone in the center. Make sure the center feels firm and springs back when pressed; a skewer should come out clean to avoid a gooey collapse.
FAQs
Yes. If you don’t have rye, whole wheat, white whole wheat, spelt or another all‑purpose flour can be used as a substitute, though rye gives the best flavor.
Store at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for a couple of days. Refrigeration isn’t necessary unless you’ve used the caramel sauce and prefer to chill it.
Yes. Wrap tightly in plastic and place in a sealed freezer bag. It keeps for about six weeks; thaw to room temperature before serving.
Absolutely. A salted caramel pairs especially well with the cake’s sweetness.
I hope you’ll try this moist and delicious Spice Cake with Dates and Rye — it’s likely to become a new favorite. If you enjoy Scandinavian‑inspired cakes, try it alongside other simple treats for afternoon coffee.
Recipe
Spice Cake with Dates, Rye and Salted Caramel Drizzle
A moist spice cake made with chopped dates, warm spices and earthy rye flour, finished with a warm salted caramel drizzle if desired.
Equipment
- 9 inch springform pan
Ingredients
- 8 ounces chopped pitted dates (about 1½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup canola oil
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cup all‑purpose flour
- ⅔ cup rye flour
- Optional: 3‑ingredient salted caramel sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9‑inch springform pan and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Combine the chopped dates and baking soda in a bowl and cover with boiling water until submerged. Cover and let sit 30 minutes to soften, then drain and set aside.
- Whisk the salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, all‑purpose flour and rye flour together in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the canola oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until fully incorporated.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Fold in the drained dates.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake 40–45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the center is firm.
- Allow to cool, remove the springform sides and serve warm or at room temperature with optional salted caramel sauce.
Notes
Make sure your brown sugar is soft and fresh. Soft brown sugar blends more easily with the oil and sugars for an even batter.
Be careful not to underbake. The cake can appear puffed but still be underdone in the center. Check that the center is firm and that a skewer comes out clean.
Nutrition
Calories: 359 kcal | Carbohydrates: 48 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 18 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Sugar: 30 g
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a rating and share a photo—I’d love to see how yours turns out.