Sticky Toffee Cake

This was the cake I baked for our anniversary this year. Again, my husband picked out the cake, and knowing him, I wasn't surprised that he picked one that involves toffee flavor (aka caramel).

I adapted the recipe for this cake from Piece of Cake. There are so many different kinds of flavors of cakes to explore from the book, and I use it as a guide to venture into new flavors. 

Ingredients:

1. 15-20 pitted dates, chopped and soaked in 1 cup hot milk for about 1 hour
2. 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
4. 1 teaspoon baking soda
5. 1 teaspoon baking powder
6. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
7. 2 eggs, at room temperature
8. 3/4 cup brown sugar

Frosting:

1/2 - 1 can Dule de Leche!( 1 can = 13.4 ounces).

Preparation:

1. Cream the brown sugar and butter until soft and fluffy. 
2. Add eggs and beat until well combined
3. Mix the dry ingredients - the all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder. 
4. You can either blend together the dates soaked in milk, or just add them as is to give a bit of texture. I didn't blend them this time, but I would blend them the next time I make this cake.
5. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
6. Then add 1/2 of the dates + milk mixture and mix.
7. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined
8. Add the remaining dates + milk mixture
9. Finally add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
10. Transfer the batter to a greased & floured 8 or 9 inch pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a cake-tester inserted comes out with a few crumbs. 
11. Remove the cake and let it cool on a wire rack. When cool, invert the cake onto a plate and frost with warm dulce de leche

This was a yummy cake! Sticky and sweet and caramel-y! If you are a fan of caramel or dates, you would like this cake.