Project Description

Simple Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with Coffee Spiced Dates

I come back to making this Simple Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with Coffee Spiced Dates time and time again. It is such a fool-proof, easy cake which always delights. It can be finished in various ways.

Serves: 8
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

150g butter
¾ cup lightly packed brown sugar
150 g dark chocolate
1/3 cup (80 ml) condensed milk
½ cup sour cream
2 eggs
¾ cup self-raising flour
Coffee spiced dates
2 tablespoons ground espresso coffee
300g sugar
2 cloves
1 cardamom pod, bruised
1 star anise
1/3 cup (80ml) cognac, armagnac or brandy
500g dried dates
250g thick cream or Greek-style natural yoghurt

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced) . Grease and line, or use a non-stick, 20cm (8in) round cake tin.
  2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add sugar, chocolate and condensed milk. Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly and the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
  3. Whisk together sour cream and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add cooled chocolate mixture and flour and mix well. Pour into prepared cake tin and bake for 50–60 minutes.
  4. Allow to cool, then turn out onto a wire rack.
  5. Meanwhile prepare coffee spiced dates: infuse coffee in ½ cup (125ml) boiling water, strain and reserve. Place sugar, spices and cognac in a small saucepan with 2 cups (500mls) water. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil and simmer for one minute. Add infused coffee and dates and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the dates soften and plump up and the liquid reduces to a syrup consistency. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Remove the spices
  6. Sprinkle cake with icing sugar and serve with dates and thick cream or yoghurt

Related Recipe:
Simple Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate and Raspberry Brownies