Thank you, California Date Commission, for sponsoring this post!

Last night we started purging our apartment. There is at least 25 pounds of “stuff” that we’re going to donate today and that was only from our bedroom. Why are we purging? Other than the fact it feels good and we have way more stuff than 2 adults should, we’re moving! We bought a dang house like a couple of real adults! We’re officially closing on the house in a little over a week and so far I have packed 1 1/2 boxes of cookbooks. That’s progress I think? The purging will really help though, less “stuff” to pack away and haul across the bay.

I’ll share more house things when it becomes more official and we have keys in hand. It still feel surreal. I never thought we would be able to buy anything in the Bay Area, but we were really fortunate and the timing was just right. I can’t wait for you to see the backyard (my new favorite place in the world) and eventually our new kitchen! The kitchen in the new house is a pretty lateral move from my current set up. No dishwasher, not updated (there’s green trim…), and pretty small. But we didn’t want to buy a house with a brand new big kitchen anyways because we would most likely tear it out and put in something we both loved. Reuben has already sketched and modeled the kitchen design a million times. It’s nice to have a residential architect around!

Anyway, we haven’t really prepared much for the big move. Life is still the same. Wake up, panic a little while scrolling through the news, beg Reuben to make me a coffee (it tastes better when he makes it), scrounge around the kitchen to hobble some semblance of breakfast, and then stand in the kitchen all day baking. Or if it’s a writing day, I plop myself down on the couch or at the dining table with at least 3 beverages and a bowl of snacks within arms reach. It takes so much energy for me to start writing, so I need to block out entire days where all I do is write without any distractions.

Thankfully, the nature of my job means I have snacks and treats pretty much constantly, no matter how hard I try to push my baking experiments onto neighbors and friends. I had a few of these Ginger Date Crumb Cakes in the kitchen for a while and I already miss their presence. For one thing, this cake stays tender and moist (I’m not one of those people that hates that word) for a few days. I would cut off a little slice in the morning, after lunch, and maaaaybeeeee after dinner. That’s probably why a loaf only lasted 2 days around here. I also love anything with a crumb topping, which is essentially cookie dough on top of cake. This crumb cake was loosely based on my Black Sesame Plum Crumb Cake, which is still one of my favorite recipes of all time. So good!

The ginger date paste really takes this cake to a new level! I got the flavor inspiration one morning when I steeped myself some ginger tea and grabbed a date to snack on. I typically enjoy a date every morning with my coffee (made by Reuben) and really love how the inherent vanilla and caramel notes of the date pair with my roasty coffee. But it’s also incredibly delicious with ginger tea. It has a little sweet and spice action going on that’s just so delicious. Like a sweet and spicy chai. So for this cake, which is awesome for breakfast, I make a simple ginger and date paste to spread over the batter and then topped it with my beloved crumb topping. The portion of this recipe is great for a small or singular quarantine pod because it bakes up in a loaf pan! It’s buttery, perfectly sweet, a little spicy (not in a hot sauce way), and soooooo tender. You’ll polish it off in no time!

Ginger Date Crumb Cake

makes 1 9x5-inch loaf cake

Ginger Date paste:

3/4 cup (about 6) chopped pitted dates
1 1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 cup water

Cake:

6 tbsp softened unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
⅓ cup milk

Crumble Materials:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted unsalted butter

1. To make ginger date paste, combine chopped dates, grated ginger, and water in a small saucepan. Heat the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until a thick paste forms, 10-15 minutes . Take off the heat and store the date paste in a heat proof container. Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter with sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add egg and mix until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with 2 additions of milk. Beat until combined and scrape down the sides when needed.

3. Line a 5”x9” loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into baking pan. Smooth batter with an offset spatula until it looks leveled. Spread the ginger date paste evenly over the top. 

4. To make the crumb topping, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix together with a fork until you have a sandy/pebble like texture. Top the loaf with the crumb topping.

5. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center, it should come out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 mins, then remove from the pan and allow the cake to cool before serving.