Middle Eastern date cake

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Using dates to sweeten desserts ups the fiber content, and makes cakes and baking super moist and dense. This tahini date cake is made with bulgur wheat and cardamom.

13H 45 Mins

Ingredients

2 cups coarse or fine-ground bulgur wheat (or a mix of both)
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar (or lighly packed light brown sugar)
4 cups milk
3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon Za'atar
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup cold water
2 teaspooons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
Tahini or butter, to grease the casserole dish
3 tablespoons raw pistachios, chopped
3 tablespoons honey

Directions

Add the bulgur wheat, coconut palm sugar, milk, tahini, za’atar, salt, and cardamom to a medium saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and then simmer/gently boil for 5 minutes, continuing to stir constantly. Remove from heat, cover the saucepan, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Stir in the cold water, vanilla, eggs, and dates.
Grease an eight-by-eight-inch pan (or a somewhat equivalent dish) with tahini or butter; pour in the bulgur mixture, cover the dish with foil, and refrigerate for 12 hours or up to three days before you want to serve.
An hour before you want to serve this dish, preheat the oven to 400° F. Put the cold casserole dish (straight from the fridge, still covered with foil) into the oven once the oven is up to temperature. Cook the casserole until it's warm throughout and starting to slightly brown on top, about 45 minutes.
Sprinkle the pistachios and honey on top and serve hot. Enjoy!