Easy and Healthy Taatelikakku (Date Cake)

Date cake is a popular dessert often enjoyed during the Christmas holidays in Finland. You can find various ready-made versions in stores, including gluten-free options and those free from eggs and milk to accommodate people with allergies.

Here is a simple recipe for making date cake at home so everyone can enjoy it with family and friends. This recipe uses sweet dates and applesauce, eliminating the need for added white sugar.

Since this cake is typically served during Christmas, you can enhance its flavor by adding aromatic spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and gingerbread. Some people also enjoy incorporating coffee into the cake recipe. However, it remains delicious even without spices for those who prefer a milder taste.

Ingredients: 

1 pack of soft dates (250 grams)

3 dl water

3 dl flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon powdered vanilla sugar

1 cup applesauce

1 tablespoon gingerbread spices (optional)

Instruction: 

1. Check that the dates don't contain the stone inside by opening them. 

2. Add the water (room temperature) to the dates and let it set for half an hour, then blend the dates in the water. If the dates are dry, add boiling water and let it sit until dates are softer.

3. Add the applesauce to the dates and water mixture, and blend until well mixed.

4. Transfer and mix the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix well. 

5. Cook in the oven at 175 degrees for 45 minutes.

6. Check with a toothpick to see if the cake is cooked. If it is very wet, let it cook for another 15 minutes, depending on the date type, size, and softness. 

Let it cool, enjoy it as it is, or drizzle coconut powder on top. 

Hint:

In food stores, you can find a variety of sugar-free apple jams and applesauce. You can use wheat flour, vehnäjauho in Finnish, oat flour, or gluten-free flour for people who are sensitive to or allergic to wheat flour. If you like the cake with the aroma of coffee, use half a 1-2 dl cold coffee drink and the rest water according to the recipe. Most of these ingredients can be found in local grocery stores and Wolt* application. Wolt* is a service that allows you to order restaurant food, grocery shopping and more - delivered to your door.

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