Receipt for Date Cake

[Tascosa Joe]

My Grandmother used to make a cake she called date pudding, it was not really a pudding but a really moist cake.  Does anyone have a receipt?  My Grandmother was born in 1897, so the receipt would be fairly old.  Thanks to all.
T-Joe

[Coffinmaker]

Date Cake ??

Wow!!  What a concept.  I never thought of offering a slice of cake to get a DATE!!  Mostly had to offer a whole Dinner.  Maybe some dancing.  Couple glasses of Vino.  But CAKE??  Whooda Thunk-it.  Too late now though.  Although I guess I could troll some of the local Retirement Homes > > > > >

[Russ T Chambers]

Coffinmaker
Thanks for coming out with that.  My tongue is about an inch shorter from biting it while thinking the same thing.

Jo
A quick search of the internet shows several recipes for Date cake that are definitely moist cakes.  If it is you're looking for something that is definitely period correct, that would be something best left to Delmonico to judge.

[Delmonico]

The term pudding has changed in the US over the years, it was not just what we think of as pudding to day.  Anny stuffing or dressing was a pudding.  That what Pink Floyd said you had to eat your meat to get. 

[Mogorilla]

Hey Joe,
My grandmother (born 1908) made a version called Date Pudding as well.    Luckily my sister found the recipe.   She even made it and took the time to tell me how tasty it was.   Now I have to go to the store!    This is a dense moist cake. 

Date Pudding

Ingredients
•   1 cup dates, pitted and chopped (packed tight)
•   2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•   1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
•   1 cup white sugar
•   1/4 teaspoon salt
•   1 teaspoon cinnamon
•   ½ teaspoon ginger
•   1 cup boiling water
•   1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
•   1 1/3 cups Flour

Instructions
1.   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9" round or an 8" square pan.

2.   In a medium bowl, combine the dates with the butter, baking soda, sugar, salt, and spices. Pour the boiling water over the date mixture, stir to combine, and let cool to room temperature.

3.   Stir in the nuts and flour, then transfer to the prepared pan.

4.   Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, until set but still quite moist; the edges will just barely begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

5.   Remove from the oven and serve warm, with whipped cream or ice cream.

6.   Store any leftovers covered and refrigerated for up to five days.

[Tascosa Joe]

Thanks, Mo this looks like something similar to what she made.

[Tascosa Joe]

Mo:
This receipt tastes like what I remember.  Thank you very much.  I have made 3 or 4 times in the last year.

My Grandmother learned to cook on a wood stove, when this receipt was about 2/3 done, she would close the dampers and let it finish.  Fast forward about 40 years, when you turn the heat off in a gas oven at 2/3 done the result is not the same as shutting the damper.  LOL  Pretty gooey but tasty.