Westhaven Cake Recipe
An old-fashioned Westhaven cake made from scratch with dates and cocoa, topped with warm fudge icing that melts slightly into the cake for a soft, rich finish.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 594kcal
Ingredients
Date Mixture:
- 1 cup pitted dates finely chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Cake Batter:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fudge Icing
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, 8 tablespoons
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup milk
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup pecans chopped, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped dates, boiling water, and baking soda. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes until softened and slightly thickened.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and line with parchment if desired.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Let the date mixture cool slightly so it’s warm but not piping hot, then stir it into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Frosting Instructions
- Near the end of baking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and milk, heating just until it begins to bubble.
- Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in pecans if using.
- Pour the warm icing over the warm cake and gently spread.
- Let cool for 30 to 45 minutes before slicing so the icing can set.
Notes
- Finely chop the dates so they soften properly and blend into the cake. Large pieces can stay firm and affect texture.
- Let the date mixture cool slightly before adding so it doesn’t affect the batter.
- Do not skip the baking soda in the date mixture. This step is key for the soft, tender crumb.
- Bake just until the center is set. Overbaking can make the cake dense instead of moist.
- If your oven runs hot, reduce the temperature slightly to prevent the edges from overbaking.
- Pour the icing over the cake while both are still warm so it melts slightly into the top.
- This cake tastes even better the next day as the flavor deepens.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 73g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg
