Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
A whole sticky caramel date cake is on a cake stand. It is covered in buttercream and is decorated with buttercream squiggles and dried apples crisps.
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Sticky Date Cake - Keke Teiti Mōhinuhinu

A spiced date cake with sticky caramel baked in to it, covered in cream cheese frosting and top with more caramel.
Course Baking
Cuisine Cake
Keyword date cake with cream cheese icing nz, sticky date cake, sticky date cake nz, sticky date cake recipe, sticky date cake recipe nz, te reo Māori
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Cool Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 12 large slices

Equipment

  • 1 x 19 cm or 20 cm spring-form cake tins

Ingredients

The Caramel - Te Karamea

  • 1 quantity Easy Caramel
  • 125 g pata (butter)
  • 1 C (200 g) huka hāura (brown sugar)
  • ½ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
  • 1 C (250 ml) kirīmi (cream)

The Date Cake - Te Keke Teiti

  • 2 C (280 g) teiti (dates, tightly packed)
  • 1 C (250 ml) wai wera (hot water, from the tap)
  • ½ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
  • 170 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
  • 1 C (200 g) huka hāura (brown sugar)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) iho hūperei (vanilla essence)
  • 3 hēki (eggs, size 6)
  • 2 ½ tablespoon kōkō (cocoa, dutch is best)
  • 1 tablespoon raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
  • 2 tsp hinamona kuoro (ground cinnamon)
  • 1 ½ C (225 g) puehu parāoa whakatipu (self-raising flour)
  • ½ C (125 ml) miraka (milk)

Pani reka Kirīmi Tīhi - Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 quantity simple cream cheese frosting
  • 120 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
  • ⅔ C 110 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
  • 2 teaspoon (10 ml) wanira (vanilla)
  • 250 g kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese, room temperature)
  • 10 titipi āporo (apple chips, I used the Fruit Hitz ones)

Instructions

Make the Caramel:

  • Make the easy caramel recipe according to instructions.
    The reason we make this first is so that we can bake some of it in to the keke (cake) and the rest is used for decorating.
  • Once you have made the caramel, leave it to cool.

Preheat the Oven:

  • Preheat the oven to 150 °C, fan bake setting or 160 °C bake setting.
  • Grease two 19 cm or 20 cm spring form cake tins with butter.
  • Add baking paper to the base with a large over hang on the outside of the tin.

Prepare the Dates:

  • Add the teiti (dates), wai wera (hot water) and tote (salt) in to a pot or a medium sized heat proof bowl.
  • If you are using the stove, bring the mixture to a boil and boil on high for 6 minutes.
    If you are using the microwave, heat it on high for 4 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and mash the dates until a smooth paste forms.
  • Leave the mixture to the side to cool slightly.

Whip the Butter and Sugar:

  • Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), huka hāura (brown sugar) and iho hūperei (vanilla essence) to a large bowl.
  • Whip on high for five minutes until the butter it is pale in colour and fluffy in texture.
  • Add an egg at a time and beat for 15 seconds after each addition.
    Don't worry if it looks a bit split after the third hēki (egg), it will all come back together.

Add the Dry Ingredients:

  • Add the kōkō (cocoa), raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice) and hinamona (cinnamon) in to the butter mixture.
    Whakaranuhia (mix to combine).

Mix through the Date Mixture:

  • Stir the miraka (milk) in to the slightly cooled date mixture.
  • Add it to the butter mixture.
    Whētuihia kia māene (fold it together until smooth).

Fold in the Flour:

  • Add the puehu parāoa whakatipu (self-raising flour).
    Whētuihia kia māene (fold it together until smooth).

Add the Caramel on to the Cakes:

  • Divide the mixture between the two cake tins.
  • Spread ⅓ C of the caramel sauce on top of each of the cakes.
  • Reserve the remaining caramel sauce for decorating the keke (cakes).
    Leave it at room temperature.

Bake the Cakes:

  • Bake for 40 minutes until the cakes spring back in the middle when pressed.
  • Once the cakes have finished baking, remove from the oven and allow them cool in the tins for 5 minutes before flipping them out.
  • Cool completely before decorating.

Whip up the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Decorate the First Cake Layer:

  • Once the cakes are cool, add one of the keke (cakes) to a plate or cake stand.
  • Add around half a cup of the frosting on to the cake and spread out.
  • Pipe a border around the edge of the keke (cake) or make a border with a spoon (like I did in the video).
  • Add around half a cup or so of the karamea (caramel) and smooth it out.

Add the Second Cake:

  • Add the second cake and cover the whole thing with more frosting.
    You can use it all to cover the cake or reserve half a cup for some decorating on top.

Decorate the Cake with Caramel:

  • Pipe the remaining karamea (caramel) on to the top of the cake and then add som titipi āporo (apple chips) for some rustic drama.

Use the Caramel as a Sauce instead:

  • You can also leave the caramel off the top of the cake if you want to.
  • When you are ready to serve it, melt the karamea (caramel) back down over a gentle heat and drizzle it over the keke (cake) as you serve each piece.

Store the Cake:

  • Store this keke (cake) in a sealed container in a cool place.
    It will develop in flavour as it sits and in my opinion is even better a few days after it is baked. It will keep well for up 5 days.
  • In the hotter months you can store the decorated and uncut cake it in the refrigerator but bring it room temperature before eating. 
    Once it is cut, don't keep it in the fridge as the cake will dry out.