Date and Tahini Sheet Cake with Cardamom Syrup

Date and Tahini Sheet Cake with Cardamom Syrup

Dates are the sweetness of Gulf hospitality, and here they go into a moist, tender cake that also leans on tahini and cardamom. The syrup soaks in while it is still warm, so every slice stays juicy for days. It is a project only in the sense of soaking dates and letting the syrup work.

You need

• 1 1/2 cups pitted Medjool dates (about 250 g), chopped
• 1 cup boiling water (240 ml)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g), softened
• 1/2 cup tahini (120 g), well stirred
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar (150 g), packed
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup whole milk (80 ml)
• For the syrup: 3/4 cup sugar (150 g), 3/4 cup water (180 ml), 6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• For finishing: 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Grease a 9 by 13 inch (23 by 33 cm) pan and line the bottom with parchment.
2. Put the chopped dates in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir in the baking soda. Let sit 10 minutes, then mash into a rough paste with a fork. It should look like a thick jam with some texture.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, tahini and brown sugar for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
4. Whisk the flour, baking powder, ground cardamom and salt together. Add to the butter mixture in two parts, alternating with the milk, mixing only until no dry flour remains.
5. Fold in the date paste gently until evenly streaked through the batter. Spread into the pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with moist crumbs and the top springs back when pressed. The edges should pull slightly from the pan.
7. While the cake bakes, make the syrup: combine the sugar, water and crushed cardamom in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir until the sugar dissolves, simmer 4 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice. Remove from the heat and let steep.
8. As soon as the cake comes out, poke holes all over the top with a skewer. Pour about two-thirds of the warm syrup slowly over the cake, letting it soak in.
9. Cool the cake in the pan for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, drizzle over the remaining syrup and scatter with chopped pistachios. Cut into squares.