The Sri Lankan date cake is primarily known as “Date Aluwa,”. It is an essential Avuradu treat. Srilankans celebrate Avuradu or Sinhalese New Year with this delicacy. This cake is well-known for its distinctive combination of flavours, rich texture and cultural importance.
Why Is This Cake Popular Over Millions?
1. Cultural Practice
The Date cake clasps an exceptional place in Sri Lankan cuisine and culture. It is frequently prepared during joyful festive occasions, celebrations and religious celebrations like Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The cake is deemed to be a traditional confectionary that collects families and neighbourhoods together during these times of events.
2. Distinctive Savor Food
The cake incorporates the genuine sweetness of dates with fragrant spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg in a grounded form, producing a distinctive and appetizing flavour. The accumulation of chopped walnuts and cashew and often candied ginger sums up the texture and elaborateness of the cake.
3. Nutritious Significance
Dates are a nutritional component that nourishes the raw sweetness and a spectrum of health and fitness advantages. They are a promising source of dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals, creating the cake a relatively healthier dessert choice compared to the other sugary delights.
4. Homemade Approach
This Sri Lankan date cake is usually prepared at home, permitting the customization of components and flavours to suit individual persons’ priorities. This homemade factor enriches its charm, as it is associated with the care and endeavour put into developing a scrumptious delight.
5. Gifting Purpose
This Date cake is usually exchanged as gifts during festivities and vacations. Conveying this cake is a gesture of neighbourliness and embodies sharing happiness and bliss with precious ones.
6. Culinary Makes Tourism
This Sri Lankan delicacy has achieved popularity among travellers and food fanatics. Date cake is a well-known culinary happiness for travellers pursuing to experience original Sri Lankan flavours and ceremonies.
Altogether, the stardom of Sri Lankan date cake is an outcome of its cultural implication, delightful flavour and taste, and the feeling of togetherness it carries to people’s lives.
How to Make the Sri Lankan Date Cake Step-By-Step
Here is an easy and delicious recipe for Sri Lankan Date Cake.
Ingredients Required for Sri Lankan Date Cake: Recipe
- 1) 1 cup of chopped pitted dates
- 2) 1 cup of water
- 3) 1 cup of all-purpose flour or Maida
- 4) 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 5) 1/2 cup of softened butter (room temperature)
- 6) 2 eggs
- 7) 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 8) 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 9) 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 10) 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ground into powder
- 11) 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg ground into powder
- 12) 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 13) 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or cashews
- 14) 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger (optional)
Now, it’s time for the making of the cake. Follow the below instructions.
Follow instructions to make Sri Lankan Date Cake
- 1. First preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). And meanwhile, grease oil and flour in a 9×9-inch square baking pan.
- 2. Now, in a small saucepan, put the chopped dates and water and bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until the dates are in a softened state. After completely softening, remove it from heat and let it cool slightly.
- 3. Take a mixing bowl, now make a cream together with the softened butter and brown sugar until a light and fluffy peak comes. Gradually, add the eggs one at a time, and beat it well after each addition. Now mix in the vanilla extract with the mixture.
- 4. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients including all-purpose flour or Maida, baking soda, baking powder, powdered cinnamon, powdered nutmeg, and salt.
- 5. Slowly put in the dry flour mix to the wet batter, mixing it until it is just combined and becomes a lump-free batter.
- 6. Now sum up the batter with chopped nuts and candied ginger (if using), then gradually add the boiled date mixture. And mix until everything is evenly circulated.
- 7. Next pour the batter into the previously prepared baking pan and smooth the top using a spatula.
- 8. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- 9. Once the cake is baked, pull out the cake from the oven and let it chill in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
- 10. Once the cake is cooled, the top can be dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with a simple icing glaze although it is optional.
- 11. Finally, Slice it and serve delicious and moist Sri Lankan date cake as a tasty treat!
Now enjoy the homemade Sri Lankan date cake with family and friends or store it in an airtight container!
Extra Notes:
- Firstly, if you don’t want to use oil to grease the pan then use butter.
- If you don’t have brown sugar then do one thing, caramelise the white sugar for the colour and add powdered sugar to elevate the sweetness gradually.
- Moreover, the addition of dry fruits is your choice.
- If you are vegan then replace egg with water and add 1 tsp vinegar.
- Finally, Date Walnut Cake is healthy and can be made for morning breakfast.