Sticky Date Cake with Brown Butter and Condensed Milk

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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. I like mine sliced with a cup of tea. I particularly love it spread with salted butter and it works incredibly well with a strong cheese.

This is a very versatile cake.

If you are preparing for Christmas, or indeed a houseful at any time of the year, you really couldn’t go wrong if you make a batch of these cakes. They last for up to a week when stored in an airtight container and also freeze extremely well. They are exceptionally versatile. You can serve them sliced, with or without salted butter, alongside a cheeseboard or as a dessert.

Are you a lover of a traditional Christmas Pudding?

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 universally popular. 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!

How to make Sticky Date Cake with Brown Butter and Condensed Milk

Collect all of the ingredients together:

Fruit and wet ingredients:

• unsalted butter
• dates, stones removed and chopped
• raisins
• sultanas
• ready to eat prunes, chopped
• stem ginger, finely chopped
• milk
• condensed milk
• dark treacle
• instant coffee
• fine salt

Dry ingredients and eggs:

• plain/all-purpose flour
• ginger powder
• baking powder
• bicarbonate of/baking soda
• eggs

To finish:

• syrup from the stem ginger jar

How to make this delectable cake:

1. 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. 
2. Wet ingredients and dried fruit: add the remaining wet ingredients and dried fruit. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, on a medium to low heat, stirring regularly. Keep an eye on it – it can burn easily if you don’t stir it and/or cook it on a high temperature.
3. Transfer the batter into a mixing bowl and leave to cool for 15 minutes. This ensures that the batter doesn’t continue to cook and it also helps it cool down more quickly.
4. When you are ready to finish the cake: preheat the oven and grease and line a 3 x 450g/1lb loaf tins. Alternatively use cake tin liners.
5. 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.
6. Beat the eggs and fold through, ensuring everything is thoroughly mixed.
7. Bake: divide 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.)
8. 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.
9. Delicious served sliced, as is or with some salted butter. It is also wonderful served with cheese.

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Made this recipe?

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