Chocolate Date Cake, Southwestern-Style
- 1 cup whole pitted dates, coarsely chopped
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cut in pieces
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 11/2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili (such as New Mexican), or substitute 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to your preference
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- In a medium saucepan bring dates and 1 cup water to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add butter and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Blend in egg and vanilla.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, ground red chili or cayenne, and cinnamon. Stir into date mixture. Then stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Pour into a well greased 9-inch round spring form pan, or a 8-inch square cake pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips over top. Bake spring form cake 40 to 45 minutes or until it tests done. The square cake may take less time. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Cut into wedges or squares and serve each with a scoop of ice cream. Coffee ice cream goes especially well with these Southwestern flavors.
dates, butter, sugar, baking soda, egg, vanilla, flour, ubc, ubc, cinnamon, ground red chili, chocolate chips, pecans
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/chocolate-date-cake-southwestern-style-1238770 (may not work)