Go Back
–+ servings
A slice of Sticky Date Cake on a wooden board with a drizzle of black treacle.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Sticky Date Cake with Black Treacle Icing

This Sticky Date Cake is gluten-free and made with toffee-like medjool dates which boast incredible flavour. It’s adorned with a simple buttercream, deepened with the molasses flavour of black treacle. The ultimate tea-time treat.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Cake
Cuisine: British
Servings: 9 people
Calories: 593kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 275 ml just boiled water
  • 1 black teabag
  • 200 g medjool dates stoned and diced
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 180 g dark soft brown sugar
  • 75 g unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 egg medium
  • 140 g teff flour
  • 140 g ground almonds
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Black Treacle Buttercream

  • 200 g unsalted butter
  • 180 g icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon black treacle
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan assisted/ gas mark 4 and line and grease an 8 inch square baking tin.
  • Place the teabag into a large bowl and pour in the just boiled water. Brew for 3 minutes.
  • Remove the teabag and pour in the diced dates. Set aside for 10 minutes while you can prepare the rest of the ingredients.
  • Beat the sugar and butter together until the sugar has turned creamy.
  • Pour in the egg and dates and mix until completely combined.
  • Whisk the flours together with the baking powder and salt.
  • Add the flour mixture to the rest of the ingredients and mix together well.
  • Pour the batter into the baking tin and bake for 50 minutes.
  • Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack before icing.

Black Treacle Buttercream

  • Beat the butter and icing sugar together for 6-8 minutes until incredibly light and creamy.
  • Add in the black treacle and mix in until completely incorporated.
  • Spread the buttercream over the top of the cooled cake and cut into 9 squares.

Notes

  • Medjool Dates are a must for this cake and can’t really be substituted for regular dates. Dice the dates up small for even distribution throughout the cake.
  • Tea – use a good quality black teabag. Don’t brew for longer than 3-5 minutes or the tea will taste ‘stewed.’
  • Butter – use unsalted and make sure it’s room temperature before creaming with the sugar.
  • Teff Flour and Ground Almonds – sift well with the salt and baking powder so they mix evenly throughout the cake. You can swap the teff flour for the same amount of plain all-purpose flour if gluten-free choices are not an issue for you.
  • Check the cake is baked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the middle of the cake. It should come out dry with no sticky crumbs.
  • Store – keep the cake in a cool airtight tin for up to 3 days.
  • Freezing – this cake freezes well, iced or un-iced.

US customary measurements

These US measurements for the ingredients provided are based on a conversion calculator. This recipe was tested with metric measurements and I recommend using a digital scale to weigh ingredients for the most accurate results. READ MORE >>> Why you should always weigh vs measuring with cups 

Nutrition information

Please note that the nutrition information provided below is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use. Please seek a professional nutritionist’s advice for further clarification.
The nutrition serving is for 1 slice of cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 823IU | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 3mg