Description
Dubai chocolate cake brings pure delight straight from the United Arab Emirates to your kitchen table. Rich chocolate layers meld with local flavors, creating a dessert that celebrates international baking passion.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup boiling water
- 100g dark chocolate, chopped
Dry Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp salt
- Pinch of salt
Wet and Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Submerge 1 cup pitted dates in 1 cup boiling water. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon baking soda over the dates and let them steep for 15 minutes until soft and plump.
- Thoroughly mash the soaked dates using a fork or blend them into a smooth paste. Ensure no large date chunks remain.
- Sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk 2 large eggs, ½ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a separate bowl until the mixture becomes light and creamy.
- Fold the mashed date mixture into the egg mixture until completely integrated. The consistency should be uniform and smooth.
- Gently incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir just until combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
- Transfer the batter to a greased 8-inch cake pan. Smooth the surface with a spatula to ensure even baking.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 32-35 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should emerge clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan for approximately 45 minutes at room temperature.
- Heat ½ cup heavy cream in a small saucepan until it reaches a gentle simmer. Remove from heat immediately.
- Add 100g chopped dark chocolate and a pinch of salt to the hot cream. Let sit for 60 seconds, then stir until the ganache becomes glossy and smooth.
- Pour the warm ganache over the cooled cake, tilting the pan to create an even coating. Let the ganache set for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Always use room temperature eggs and butter for the smoothest cake batter texture.
- Sift cocoa powder and flour together to prevent lumps and create an even, light crumb.
- Line cake pans with parchment paper for easy removal and perfect cake shape.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting to prevent melting and ensure clean, crisp decoration edges.
- Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 295 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg