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Photograph of Sticky Date Cake with Brown Butter and Condensed Milk

Sticky Date Cake with Brown Butter and Condensed Milk

Rich, sticky and loaded with dates, prunes, dried vine fruits and warming ginger, this wonderful cake is incredibly moist and bursting with flavour. The condensed milk guarantees the sticky texture, and browning the butter adds a nutty flavour to this nut free cake.

Makes 3 x 450g/1lb loaves

Course afternoon tea, Dessert, Morning Coffee
Keyword fruit cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Author Susan

Ingredients

Fruit and wet ingredients:

  • 200g unsalted butter
  • 300g dates, stones removed and chopped
  • 125g raisins
  • 125g sultanas
  • 100g ready to eat prunes, chopped
  • 50g stem ginger, finely chopped: 3-4 balls
  • 275ml milk
  • 397g can condensed milk
  • 2 tablespoons dark treacle
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt

Dry ingredients and eggs:

  • 300g plain/all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons ginger powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of/baking soda
  • 2 eggs

To finish:

  • syrup from the stem ginger jar

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Brown the butter: chop the butter into squares and place in a saucepan large enough to contain all the fruit and wet ingredients. Heat over a moderate heat, stirring from time to time, until the butter turns brown. 

  3. Wet ingredients and dried fruit: add the remaining wet ingredients and dried fruit to the browned butter. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, on a medium to low heat, stirring regularly.

  4. Transfer the batter into a mixing bowl and leave to cool for 15 minutes.

  5. When you are ready to finish the cake: preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3 (fan 150°C) and grease and line a 3 x 450g/1lb loaf tins. Alternatively use cake tin liners.

  6. Dry ingredients and eggs: after 15 minutes, sieve over the flour, ginger powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and roughly fold into the batter.

  7. Beat the eggs and fold through, ensuring everything is thoroughly mixed.

  8. Bake: divide the batter between the baking tins and bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 50 – 60 minutes, or until the loaf has risen and is golden brown in colour. I cook mine for 55 minutes. (NB The cake batter in each tin should weigh around 635g.)

  9. When cooked, brush the tops of the cakes with syrup from the stem ginger jar. Leave the cakes to cool in the tin for 20 – 30 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

  10. Delicious served sliced, as is or with some salted butter. It is also wonderful served with cheese.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • large saucepan
  • mixing bowl
  • 3 x 450g/1lb loaf tins

Serve as cake or dessert:

One of the best things about this cake, is that it can also be served as a wonderful winter dessert. You could even serve it on Christmas Day! Whilst I adore a classic Christmas Pudding, I appreciate it is not everybody's cup of tea. So if you are going down the non-traditional path this year, but have a guest who’d love more seasonal fare, simply warm a slice of this cake and serve it with a traditional accompaniment, such as brandy butter, fresh cream, custard, white sauce or ice cream. Trust me, they’ll love it!