This chocolate date cake might just be one of my favorite creations ever! It's moist, fluffy and perfectly chocolatey, topped with a dark, rich ganache that feels wonderfully indulgent. Since it's only sweetened with dates (yep, even the ganache!), I'd honestly go as far as saying it's kind of healthy. Plus, it's freezer-friendly!
Jump to:
You guys already know how much I love dates (this recipe is part of my Medjool dates series). And if there's one combo I love even more, it's chocolate and dates. The perfect example would be my Chocolate Dates or these date sweetened Chocolate Muffins and now this cake is the newest addition.
This chocolate cake is naturally sweetened with dates, soft from almond flour, and extra moist thanks to yogurt. There's no butter, no eggs, and just a little bit of oil needed- yet the result is a fluffy, rich-tasting cake with a beautiful texture. Once baked, it's topped with a rich chocolate ganache that's also sweetened with dates (so no sugar here either!).
It can be a healthy treat or used as a refined-sugar free birthday cake for a toddler. It can also easily be made vegan (only change the Greek yogurt for soy or coconut yogurt) and gluten-free.
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Medjool dates: I prefer Medjool for their soft texture and caramel-like sweetness. Deglet Noor can work in the cake, but for the ganache Medjool really makes the difference.
- Unsweetened (soy) milk: Adds moisture and a little extra protein. Any unsweetened plant milk and also regular dairy milk would work.
- White, all-purpose flour: I haven't tested this but I think a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend also works.
- Blanched almond flour: Makes the crumb softer, adds moisture, and brings a light nutty flavor.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Rapeseed oil: Could be replaced with any other neutral oil or coconut oil. Use refined coconut oil to avoid coconut flavors.
- Unsweetened yogurt: I had the best results with plain, full-fat Greek yogurt but to keep this cake vegan you could try soy or coconut yogurt which has a higher fat amount.
- Dark chocolate chips: This is optional but they add delicious pieces of melted chocolate. Use dairy-free or vegan if you want.
- Cashews: They form the base of the ganache.
- Coconut cream: Makes the ganache rich and creamy, and helps it firm up as it chills. It's the thick part of a can of coconut milk- chill the can overnight and don't shake it, so the solid cream separates from the liquid.
- Coconut oil: Helps the ganache set and stay glossy. Use refined if you don't want a coconut flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-by-step photo instructions
Step 1: Soak the Medjool dates in very hot water. Also soak the cashews for the ganache (if making) now- just keep the dates for the cake and the dates + cashews for the ganache in two separate bowls.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Blend the drained dates for the cake with the soy milk until smooth.
Step 4: Add the date-milk mix to the dry ingredients together with the oil & yogurt. Stir until just combined. Also stir in chocolate chips (if using).
Step 5: Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then let sit in the pan for another 10 before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Drain the cashews and dates for the ganache and add it together with the other ganache ingredients to a blender, blend until smooth. Then spread the ganache evenly over the cooled cake.
Top tips
- Efficiency: Soak the dates for both the cake and the ganache right at the start. Add the cashews to the ganache dates so they can all soak together and be drained at the same time. That way, everything will be ready to go and you can start on the ganache as soon as the cake is in the oven- no waiting around.
- Smooth ganache: Your best bet for the ganache is a high-speed blender with a tamper so you can keep pushing the ingredients down as they blend. Next best is an immersion blender, since you can move it around and press the mixture down as you go. A food processor can also work, but the bowl really needs to be on the smaller side to get a silky texture.
Variations & add-ins
- Optional add-ins: Walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet dark). A pinch of espresso powder also works wonders to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. I have to say though I haven't tested this cake with gluten-free flour.
- Soy-free: Swap soy milk for unsweetened oat or almond milk.
- Nut-free: Sorry, not possible- the almond flour is what keeps this cake so moist and cashews are needed for the ganache.
- Egg-free: Already naturally egg-free!
Storage
- Store: Airtight container in the fridge, 4- 5 days. Let it warm up a bit before serving. I like to pop a slice in the microwave for just a couple seconds (careful, the ganache melts fast!).
- Freeze: Totally freezer-friendly, even with ganache. Slice and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter before serving.
Related recipes
Looking for more date recipes? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Date Cake (Naturally Sweetened)
Equipment
- 1 high speed blender with a tamper or immersion blender or food processor *see notes
- 1 mixing bowl + rubber spatula
- 1 cake pan + parchment paper (mine was 8x10 inch, 20x30cm)
Ingredients
Cake
- 10.5 ounces (300 g) (Medjool) dates (around 2 cups) *pitted, soaked & drained, see notes
- 1 cup (240 g) unsweetened soy milk *or other milk of choice
- 1 ½ + ⅓ cups (275 g) white all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (100 g) almond flour
- ⅓ cup (45 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup (60 g) rapeseed oil *or coconut or other neutral oil
- ¼ cup (70 g) unsweetened (Greek) yogurt *see notes
- ⅓ cup (80 g) dark chocolate chips (optional) *vegan or dairy
Chocolate Date Ganache
- 5.5 ounces (150 g) (Medjool) dates (around 1 cup) *pitted, soaked & drained, see notes
- ¾ cup (120 g) cashews *soaked & drained
- ½ cup (130 g) coconut cream *see notes
- ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil *melted, see notes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Date Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Soak & blend dates. Place the dates in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Let soak for 10-15 minutes to soften. Then drain and transfer the soaked dates and soy milk to a blender. Blend until you have a smooth paste (use a tamper if needed). See notes for blender tips.10.5 ounces (Medjool) dates (around 2 cups), 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.1 ½ + ⅓ cups white all-purpose flour, 1 cup almond flour, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Add wet ingredients. Stir in the oil, yogurt, and the date-soy milk mixture from the blender. Use a spatula to gently mix until just combined.¼ cup rapeseed oil, ¼ cup unsweetened (Greek) yogurt
- Optional add-in: If using, fold in the chocolate chips.⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake on the center rack for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake sit in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the ganache.
Ganache (optional)
- Soak dates & cashews. Cover the dates and cashews with hot water and let soak for 10 minutes to soften. Drain well.5.5 ounces (Medjool) dates (around 1 cup), ¾ cup cashews
- Blend smooth. Add soaked & drained dates, cashews, coconut cream, cocoa powder, coconut oil and vanilla to a high-speed blender. Use a tamper to push the ingredients down into the blade. See notes for blender tips.½ cup coconut cream, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- Chill. Transfer the ganache to a bowl and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. The coconut cream and oil will help it firm up.
- Frost. Once set, spread the ganache evenly over the cooled cake.
Video
Notes
- Medjool dates: I prefer Medjool for their soft texture and caramel-like sweetness. If you don't want to splurge on it Deglet Noor can work in the cake, but for the ganache Medjool really makes the difference.
- Yogurt: I had the best results with plain, full-fat Greek yogurt but to keep this cake vegan you could try soy or coconut yogurt which has a higher fat amount.
- Coconut Cream: Chill a can of coconut milk overnight and don't shake it, so the solid cream separates from the liquid. It's the cream we want, not the liquid.
- Coconut oil: Use refined if you don't want a coconut flavor. Makes the ganache even creamier but could be skipped.
- Blender tip: Your best bet for blending the dates (especially in the ganache) is a high-speed blender with a tamper so you can keep pushing the ingredients down as they blend. Next best is an immersion blender, since you can move it around and press the mixture down as you go. A food processor can also work, but the bowl really needs to be on the smaller side and you'll need to scrape down the sides frequently.
- Efficiency tip: Soak the dates for both the cake and the ganache right at the start, adding the cashews to the ganache bowl so they can all soak together. This way, everything's ready to go and you can blend up the ganache as soon as the cake is in the oven.
- Coconut-free ganache: If you can't have coconut, you can leave out the coconut cream and oil you could skip them. The result will be a stickier ganache that's not so velvety but still possible.
Oliver says
I made this last weekend while by daughter was napping, skipped the ganache but it still turned out amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Katie says
Very happy to hear that! Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Tess says
Love it! Made this for my husbands birthday and it turned out great!