Q - Queen Elizabeth Cake

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Q is for queen.  Interestingly, the humble presentation of this cake belies the lofty name given to it.  Consider it a cross between sticky toffee pudding and a lazy daisy cake.  If you love dates, and I do, and coconut, yes also, you should love this cake.  Lazy daisy cake, with its broiled topping, was a rare treat when we were growing up.  Then a few years back I discovered sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce.  This is essentially both.  But I also ended up with two different versions for... reasons.


And if you don't like coconut, (and my hubby does not), I have included a different topping/frosting for you.  (My apologies to our cousins across the pond.)  And it is delicious, reminiscent of caramel frosted banana cake, only date based, and soft penuche.  The cake is so delicate and tender.  Hubby heartily approved.  I was initially displeased with the height of the cake baked in the 9x13 pan, but it's actually quite perfect for a little sweet slice that is not too much.  And this cake is brilliantly moist and will remain so for days.  So while you can make it either way, my preference and recommendation is to use the 9x13 pan for my personal idea of the best cake, which will definitely require double the amount of topping to cover nicely.  (Of course it didn't help that I forgot to add the oil for the 9x9 batch and had to scrape the batter back into the bowl to add it.  Happens to the best of us!)

You can use chopped dates, which is what I grew up with, or whole dates, chopped.  I didn't see my first whole date until well into adulthood!  (Medjool dates FTW.)  They were a revelation and I will never go back, even though I remember those crystallized, chopped dates from my childhood as the greatest candy adjacent treat.  I would methodically pick them out of the trail mix that included them.  Anyway, soaked in boiling water, it all evens out eventually.

I recommend a little bit of whipped cream (squirty cream for those across the pond) on top of the broiled topping version.  It is a sublime contrast. 

Queen Elizabeth Cake
makes a 9x13 snack cake 

Cake: 

150g (1 cup) chopped dates (I chopped up the requisite amount of medjool dates by weight)
227g (1 cup) boiling water
56g (¼ cup) butter
198g (1 cup) sugar
2 eggs (100g)
100g (~½ cup) avocado oil (I have a feeling this could be reduced, but made it as written)
195g (1½ cups) flour, sifted
5g (1 tsp) baking powder
6g (1 tsp) baking soda
1.5g (¼ tsp) sea salt
4.7g (1 tsp) vanilla extract
64g (½ cup) walnuts, chopped (this can be moved to the topping if desired, or omitted)

Topping*: (double for 9x13 pan)

42g (3 tbsp) butter
67g (5 tbsp) golden brown muscovado sugar
2-3 tbsp milk (28 - 42.5g) (I used three tbsp)
43g (½ cup) shredded coconut (I used the flaked I had on hand)

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
    
Pour the boiling water over the chopped dates and set aside.

In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, mixing until incorporated, and then the dates, including the soaking water. 

Add the oil and vanilla and mix, then add the rest of the dry ingredients including the walnuts and mix together.  (You can alternately save the walnuts for the topping if you don't want them in the cake.)

Pour into a greased baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for a 9x13-inch and 30 to 35 minutes for a 9-inch square pan.

For the topping:

Toward the end of the bake time, boil all of the frosting ingredients for three minutes over low-medium heat.  Remember to double to topping for the 9x13 inch pan.

When the cake is done, remove from the oven and spread topping over cake.  Increase temperature to 375ºF.  Return cake to the oven for 10 minutes until the topping is golden brown. 

*If you don't like coconut, you can declare cake independence and use this option:

Brown sugar frosting:

7 tbsp butter 
⅔ cup brown sugar
⅛ tsp sea salt
¼ cup milk
200g (~1¾ cups powdered sugar)
¾ tsp vanilla

Sift the powdered sugar onto a piece of parchment and set aside. 

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt.  Cook and stir until the sugar starts to melt and the mixture becomes fairly smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes.  The butter should be incorporated and not sitting on top of the sugar. Add the milk and bring to a boil.

Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool in the pot for 10 minutes. 

Pour the powdered sugar into the warm syrup in the pot, then add the vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is well combined. 

Pour the warm frosting onto the cake and spread over the entire surface.  This frosting will remain somewhat soft, like a firmer form of the butterscotch sauce you would pour over sticky toffee pudding.

The mixture will seem impossibly liquidy before adding
the dry ingredients, but it will turn into a beautiful batter.

  
Especially with the smaller pan, the top will brown 
before the crumb is set in the middle.  Make sure it is 
finished before attempting to spread on the topping!

Use a gentle hand to spread out little dollops of topping.

This can also be done under the broiler, but is
safer done by increasing the temp as described.


The color of the crumb is darker here since I was a
goober and forgot the oil and had to mix it in late.
Don't be me, remember to add the oil before the dry.

And of course there is the delicious, coconut-free option!
Hubby can't stay out of this...

As part of the 2026 Alphabet Challenge, organized by A Day in the Life on the Farm, we are sharing recipes that begin with Q or include ingredients or methods that begin with Q:

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