Sticky Date Coconut Cake Recipe

Last Updated on December 2, 2020 by Babita

Sticky Date Coconut Cake is a recipe that combines the sweetness of dates with the crunch of coconut to create a rich, chewy, and uniquely decadent cake.

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I found this recipe for Sticky Date Coconut cake in the Cooking Light – Way to Bake recipe book. My 13 year old wanted to try it. As usual, we set out to check it we had all the ingredients and were disappointed to find out that we did not have one of the most important ingredients – sweetened coconut flakes. However, that was not going to stop my daughter. She suggested that we used freshly grated coconut to make this cake and we decided to improvise. She was not wrong. This cake turned out to be extremely delicious and was worth the improvisation.

Ingredients for Sticky Date Coconut Cake

• 1 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp butter
• a pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tsp melted butter

Ingredients for the Topping

• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• 2 1/2 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp milk

How to Prep the Date Mixture for the Sticky Date Cake

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
• Combine dates, water, baking soda, butter, and salt in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring it occasionally.
• Remove from heat and set it aside.

Instructions for Making the Sticky Date Coconut Cake

• Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a mixing bowl.
• Stir in the date mixture, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg until well combined.
• Coat a 9″ round baking pan with melted butter.
• Add the cake batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins.

Instructions for topping for the cake

• Combine brown sugar, coconut, butter and milt in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
• Reduce heat, and simmer for a minute.

How to Combine the Coconut Topping with the Sticky Cake

• Pour the brown sugar and coconut mixture over the cake and bake at 350 degrees for another 13 minutes.
• Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the outside edge.
• Remove the cake from the pan and allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Add some unsweetened dried coconut flakes as garnish (optional).

Notes for Making the Perfect Sticky Date Coconut Cake

• You can substitute regular fresh coconut if you don’t have sweetened coconut flakes.
• The only tools you need to make this cake batter are your hands, a spoon, or spatulas. It is one of the easiest cake recipes you will ever make. You don’t need a KitchenAid Stand Mixture or any kind of mixture

If you made this cake and loved it, please feel free to post it in the comments below. My 13-year-old who has taken an interest in baking would love to hear some words of encouragement.