With hints of orange essence and maple complemented by a cinnamon-laced crumble, this recipe practically screams, “Winter is here!”
Maple Date Walnut Coffee Cake
Makes 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
- ¾ cup (165 grams) plus ⅓ cup (73 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cinnamon
- 1¼ teaspoons (3 grams) kosher salt, divided
- ¾ cup (170 grams) plus 2½ tablespoons (35 grams) unsalted butter, softened and divided
- 6 tablespoons (126 grams) pure maple syrup, divided
- ½ cup (57 grams) walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup (128 grams) chopped pitted dates
- 1 cup (240 grams) boiling water
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
- ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (100 grams)
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) orange zest
- ¾ teaspoon (3 grams) maple extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- ½ cup (120 grams) whole milk
- ¼ cup (60 grams) fresh orange juice
- ⅓ cup (80 grams) heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons (21 grams) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup (63 grams) flour, ¼ cup (55 grams) brown sugar, cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir in 2½ tablespoon (35 grams) butter and 2 tablespoons (42 grams) maple syrup until combined. Crumble with your fingertips until desired consistency is reached. Stir in walnuts. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine dates, 1 cup (240 grams) boiling water, and baking soda. Let stand until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, discarding any excess liquid.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ½ cup (113 grams) butter, granulated sugar, and ⅓ cup (73 grams) brown sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in zest, maple extract, and remaining 4 tablespoons (84 grams) maple syrup.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together baking powder, remaining 1½ cups (188 grams) flour, and remaining 1 teaspoon (3 grams) salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk and orange juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. (Batter will be thin.) Fold in dates. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with streusel.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes, loosely covering with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edges of cake to loosen sides. Invert onto a plate, and then invert again onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
- In a medium saucepan, heat cream, remaining ½ cup (110 grams) brown sugar, and remaining ¼ cup (57 grams) butter over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1½ minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar, and drizzle over cooled cake.
The title says it is a coffee cake but I can’t see any mention of coffee in the ingredients or method?!
Helen,
Thanks for reaching out! A coffee cake doesn’t necessarily have to have coffee inside but usually best eaten with coffee. By definition, it is a cake, often cinnamon-flavored, with a drizzled white icing or crumb topping, and usually eaten with coffee.
Hope that clarifies for you. Happy Baking!
Aah, thank you Emmy! I’ve never heard this term before (perhaps because I’m in the UK) Thanks for the clarification!
[…] time to bake with maple — how about these quick and easy Mapledoodles for Friday night? Or this maple and walnut coffee cake for Sunday […]
Urgent…I’m in the middle of baking….ur recipe doesn’t say what to do with the walnut/sugar/butter mix that u told us to prepare and then set aside! Like what the heck do I do with it pleassse!
Hi Shanti,
Sorry for the delay! As stated at the end of Step 5, after you have poured the batter into the pan, you will sprinkle with the streusel that you set aside. I hope your cake turned out wonderful!