West Haven Cake
Submitted by flo
Moist date cake studded with chocolate chips and pecans, baked in one pan with a hint of cocoa. A nostalgic New England sheet cake that’s simple to make and impossible to resist.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
50 minWest Haven Cake is one of those old-fashioned recipes that gets passed around on index cards at church suppers and never quite makes it into the cookbooks, which is a shame because it’s absolutely wonderful.
Soft, sticky dates get soaked in hot water and baking soda until they practically melt, then folded into a buttery batter with just a touch of cocoa for depth.
The whole thing gets poured into a 9×13 pan, scattered with chocolate chips and whole pecans, and baked until the top is set but the inside stays dense and fudgy.
Serve it warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and watch it disappear.
Pro Tips
- Pour the hot water and baking soda over the dates first and let the mixture cool completely. This softens the dates and makes the batter incredibly moist.
- Don’t overmix after adding the flour. A few streaks are fine. Overworking develops gluten and turns the cake tough.
- The chocolate chips and pecans go on top of the batter, not mixed in. They sink slightly as it bakes and create a crunchy, melty top layer.
Ingredients
Directions
Over dates, pour hot water with soda.
Let cool. Cream sugar and shortening.
Add dates and salt. Add eggs, vanilla and flour sifted with cocoa.
Pour in 9 x 13” pan. Sprinkle pecans and chocolate chips over dough in pan.
Bake 40 minutes in moderate (350 degree) oven.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.
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