My very first experience to taste ‘Dates’ was Sticky Date Pudding. It was after I moved to Australia. I liked the flavour of Sticky Date Pudding, but I thought it was overwhelmingly sweet. It is always good to make it at home, because I can alter the amount of Sugar. Today I made these Cupcakes using Dates. This recipe is based on my Basic Plain Cupcakes recipe and the amount is perfect to fill 12 cupcake cases. Please serve them with my Super Easy Caramel Sauce, that is literally super easy.

Makes

12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 cups finely chopped Dried Pitted Dates *about 150g
1/2 teaspoon Bi-Carb Soda
1 cup Boiling Water
125g Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar OR Dark Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs *room temperature
1 & 3/4 cups Self-Raising Flour

Super Easy Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup Caster Sugar OR White Sugar
2 tablespoons Water
40g Butter *cut into small cubes
100ml Cream *I used Thickened Cream

Method
  1. To make Super Easy Caramel Sauce, place Sugar and Water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, shaking the saucepan occasionally.
  2. You will see the syrup getting yellowish colour. Soon it turns light brown, then remove from heat. Add Butter and stir until Butter melts as the mixture becomes bubbly. Add Cream and mix well.
  3. To make Cupcakes, first you need to soften Dates. Chop up Dates finely and place in a heat-proof bowl. Carefully pour boiling water over the chopped Dates, and add Bi-Carb Soda and stir. Set aside while you are preparing other ingredients.
  4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12-hole medium-size muffin tin with paper cases.
  5. Mix softened Butter, Brown Sugar and Vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Add Eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add Self-Raising Flour & Dates mixture, and mix to combine.
  6. Spoon the mixture into paper cases. Bake for 20 minutes or until nicely browned and cooked through. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes before moving onto a wire rack to cool.

  7. Serve with Caramel Sauce.