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Blue Smoke Sticky Toffee Cake




Source of Recipe


Everyday Food


List of Ingredients




1 cup stout beer

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 pound pitted dates

1/2 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Vegetable cooking spray

Butterscotch Sauce

Whipped crème fraîche, for serving (optional)


Recipe



1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 12-by-10-by-2 1/2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray, and line bottom with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the stout over medium heat, almost to a simmer. Remove from heat, and add the baking soda, then the dates. Let stand until dates are soft, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, and purée.

3. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

4. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the date purée, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour into prepared pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake until set, about 20 minutes.

5. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a cutting board, and cut into nine pieces. Serve, warm, drizzled with butterscotch sauce, and topped with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Butterscotch Sauce

Makes about 1 1/2 cups



1 cup dark-brown sugar

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped

1/2 cup heavy cream

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and vanilla bean over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Stir in cream, and remove from heat. Add salt and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Store refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week. Reheat, in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, before using.