Nut & Date Cake

This date and pecan cake is more fruit and nuts held together by batter than the other way around. A full quart each of pecan halves and chopped dates get tossed in flour, mixed with a butter-sugar crumble, and bound with just enough egg to create a wet mass. The result bakes into a dense, rich slab packed with chewy dates and crunchy nuts in every slice.

The technique is unusual. Instead of creaming butter and sugar the traditional way, you cut them together until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Tossing the pecans and dates in flour before mixing prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the pan during the long, slow bake.

Adding eggs “as few as possible” is the instruction that matters most. You want just enough to hold everything together without creating a cakey crumb. Start with five, mix, and only add more if the mixture is still too dry to hold its shape.

Baked at a gentle 275°F (140°C) for up to 90 minutes, this cake dries slowly without burning the sugar or scorching the nuts.

Pro Tips

• Line the bottom of the tube pan with brown paper (or parchment) and grease everything well. The high sugar content makes this cake prone to sticking.
• Use whole pecan halves, not chopped pieces. They give the sliced cake a more dramatic look and better crunch.
• Test with a toothpick starting at the one-hour mark. The center takes longest to set in a tube pan.
• Let the cake cool completely in the pan before turning out. It’s fragile when warm.

Variations

• Bourbon soaked: Brush the warm cake with bourbon after baking and wrap tightly. Let it age for a week for a boozy, fruitcake-style treat.
• Walnut version: Swap pecans for walnut halves for a slightly more bitter, earthier nut flavor.
• Candied fruit addition: Mix in a cup of chopped candied cherries or citrus peel for a holiday fruitcake vibe.