Date Coffee Cake with Walnuts and Espresso Glaze

This Date Coffee Cake with Walnuts and Espresso Glaze is so rich and full of flavor, you’ll enjoy it with coffee for breakfast or a salad with dinner. Espresso soaked dates and toasted walnuts are the star of the show and the espresso glaze the literal icing on the cake!

Welcome to Progressive Eats , our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Each recipe in our menu this month features coffee in some form: espresso granules, coffee grounds, brewed coffee, coffee extract, etc. Our host this month is Coleen from The Redhead Baker. When I saw that Coleen had chosen this theme; I was so excited. I honestly love coffee; that ONE cup I have each day is so perfect. I indulge with half and half and some Demerara Sugar and I never feel one moment of guilt; it’s the only cup I have all day and it’s delicious.

The funny thing is that I always loved coffee flavored everything; hard candies, ice cream, pies…you name it and I loved it. I just didn’t love coffee for many, many years. Long ago I discovered that my parents brand of already ground Folger’s was as much at fault as anything and with a good cup of coffee, half and half instead of skim milk, and sugar with a touch of molasses, well, it changed everything.

Ingredients
For the Date Coffee Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups chopped dates
• 1 1/2 cusps hot coffee or espresso (I make mine with Medaglia D'Oro dried espresso)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

For Coffee Glaze:

• 2 tbsp. hot water
• 1/2 tsp. instant espresso (see link above for my favorite dried product)
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions
For the Date Coffee Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the dates, hot coffee or espresso, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Using a mixer beat the butter and sugars together.
5. Beat in egg and vanilla.
6. Strain date mixture and set dates aside. Add the liquid from the date mixture alternately with the flour mixture (about three times) to the ingredients in the bowl; ending with the liquid. Scrape bowl well and beat just til smooth.
7. Fold in the dates and toasted walnuts.
8. ...............................

For full instructions please see : www.creative-culinary.com

Share this post