Spiced date cake with cream cheese & honey frosting

This spiced date cake with cream cheese and honey frosting is a showstopper of note. It’s the perfect celebration cake for winter, Easter, or even Christmas. The tender sponge is lightly flavoured with cinnamon, all-spice, and vanilla is nestled under a blanket of my ultimate cream cheese buttercream frosting. I vigorously whipped this to ensure the dreamiest soft texture with enough of it to generously frost the middle, sides, and top.

I made this three-layered cake using a few products from the local honey producer Peel’s. I used their delectable single nectar Acacia honey from Thabazimbi which is raw and 100% pure. I loved the fruity note this added. I drizzled Peels salted caramel onto the cake and adorned the top with their honeycomb rocks. This is delicious in a totally unforgettable way.

Peel’s is South Arica’s oldest honey brand which started in 1924 from a small apiary in the Natal Midlands. The business has grown over the years with the honey now being selected from small to medium beekeepers around the country. Bees are wild animals and the role they play in our food chain is something that is close to my heart. Supporting a local producer who places this at the forefront of their business ethos is important to me. Knowing where your honey comes from and how the bees were treated is of paramount importance. The outcome is delicious pure honey with a conscience. 

Peel’s producers single nectar honey which means the bees foraged off one type of flower. The flavour transfers directly into the honey and it’s hard to pick a favourite. Living in the Western Cape I eat a lot of Fynbos honey so tasting Acacia honey from Thabazimbi, Saligna honey from the Midlands, Aloe honey from Rust de Winter, and Macadamia honey from Port Edward was pure joy. 

In addition to honey, Peel’s also produces a range of brittles, sweets, nut butter, honey & nut butter, nuts and beeswax products. They also produce a personal care range along with gifting and beekeeping equipment. Their website is the perfect place to source interesting gifts for any honey lover. Shop Peel’s products

Tips for making spiced date cake with cream cheese and honey frosting

 I made this into a 3-layer cake using 3 x 18cm cake tins. You could easily make this into a 2-layer cake using 2 x 22cm – 23cm cake tins. See notes in the instructions on how to ensure the layers are perfectly even. The cake can be made in advance but add the honeycomb rocks just before serving.

If you make this cake please tag me @Drizzleanddip on Instagram, I would love to see your creations. 

This cake is a one-bowl wonder that blends together effortlessly in a food processor. 

Recipe – Serves 12

Spiced date cake with cream cheese & honey frosting

A delicious spiced date cake with cream cheese & honey frosting recipe that will guarantee to impress everyone.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Ingredients

Cake:

• 400 gms pitted dates
• 40 gms Peel’s honey
• 1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda baking soda
• 300 ml boiling water
• 200 gms Muscovado sugar
• 200 gms butter room temperature
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• 2 Tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 375 gm self-raising flour
• Peel's salted honey caramel for the dripping layer optional
• Peel's Honeycomb Rock for the top decoration optional

Cream cheese and honey buttercream frosting:

• 150 gms butter
• 100 gms Muscovado sugar
• 60 ml / ¼ cup Peel's honey
• 125 gm icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250 gm Cream cheese
•  

Instructions

• To Make the cake preheat your oven to 160C / 325F and line 3 x 18cm or 2 x 20cm cake tins with baking paper.
• Soak the pitted dates for about 20 minutes in a bowl with the Peel’s honey, the bicarbonate of soda, and the boiling water.
• Blend this in a food processor until fairly smooth, then add the sugar, butter, spices, vanilla extract, and eggs and process until well incorporated.
• Add the self-raising flour and mix briefly until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and the blades. If you are wanting to be totally accurate with dividing the batter between 3 cake tins, decant the batter into a bowl and weigh this. Divide this weight into 3 and then evenly portion off the cake batter per tin. Alternatively, simply divide the batter into two 20 - 23cm tins.
• Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until the cakes have risen and are springy to the touch and when a knife is inserted into the middle it comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for about 10 minutes and then remove and place them on a cooling rack.
• To make the icing, use an electric mixer and cream the butter, Muscovado sugar, and honey together. Whip for about 3-4 minutes until pale and becoming fluffy. The sugar should be mostly dissolved. Then add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and whisk for a further 5 minutes or so. By now the sugar should have dissolved. Add the cream cheese and whip for a further minute or two until well combined and very fluffy.
• Ice the cake with a generous layer of frosting between the 3 layers and on the top and sides. If your freezer is big enough, put the cake in the freezer for a bit so that the icing firms up. Heat the Peel’s salted honey caramel in the microwave for about 20 seconds until it is soft enough to drip. Gently drizzle this over the top of the cake allowing some to spill over the edge. Allow time as this will drip on its own. Add a little extra to the drip ‘channels’ should you need to.
• Decorate with Peel’s honeycomb rocks just before you serve. These will soften once left out for too long so do this at the last minute.  

Servings: 12

Author: Sam Linsell

This post is proudly sponsored by Peel’s 

For more honey recipes:

Easy honey nut granola

Lemon pistachio cupcakes with honey meringue frosting

Spicy honey and Rooibos granita gin & tonic

Crispy pan-fried feta with thyme and black pepper-infused honey

Honey, rosewater & cinnamon panna cotta

Pear & halva crumble loaf with pecans, honey & maple

Roast fig tartines with blue cheese, prosciutto and honey

Baked goats cheeses cigars with honey & thyme

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Pizza Bianco with prosciutto, nectarines, thyme & honey

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Rooibos tea & honey ice cream

Vanilla ice cream with honey-roasted figs

Roast chicken with stout, rosemary & honey

Bacon-wrapped sausages with rosemary & honey

Pear tartines with blue cheese & honey

Dukkah baked pears with goats cheese & honey

Goats cheese truffles with honey & pistachio

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