Apple Date Cake with Pecan Streusel

Apple Date Cake with Pecan Streusel

by | Dec 8, 2018 | DESSERTS, CAKES AND SQUARES | 0 comments

This simple and delicious Apple Date Cake with Pecan Streusel rises up tender and moist with little chunks of apple scattered throughout. It’s spiced just right with a wonderfully crunchy, pecan topping. 

What sets this cake apart is the amount of refined sugar and fat. There’s only a 1/2 cup of sugar for the 9”x 13” cake. The pecan topping has 3 tbsp, making the total amount just under 3/4 cup for a large 9”x 13” cake that comes out 2” tall. It’s made with dates and applesauce for natural sweetness and added moisture, allowing the use of less oil.  In this case only 1/4 cup in the cake. The bits of apple also add moisture and are evenly distributed by lightly dusting them with flour before adding to the batter. A great cake on its own, but serving it with slightly warm Spiced Rum Caramel really makes it special.

This lovely cake freezes well and will keep up to a month well wrapped.  Simply thaw and cut when ready.  Did I mention the Spiced Rum Caramel?   Oh so good and simple to make too!  

Author:  Compelled to Cook

Apple Date Cake with Pecan Streusel
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    20-24 pieces 40 minutes
    Cook Time
    40 minutes
    Servings Prep Time
    20-24 pieces 40 minutes
    Cook Time
    40 minutes
    Apple Date Cake with Pecan Streusel
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      20-24 pieces 40 minutes
      Cook Time
      40 minutes
      Servings Prep Time
      20-24 pieces 40 minutes
      Cook Time
      40 minutes
      Ingredients
      Apple Date Cake
      Pecan Streusel
      Servings: pieces
      Instructions
      Pecan Streusel
      1. In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients and set aside.
      Apple Date Cake
      1. In a medium sauce pan combine dates and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occationally until dates are very soft and pasty, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spiced rum. Allow to cool slightly before adding to recipe.
      2. Preheat oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan with non-stick spray or butter. Line the pan with parchment, overhanging on two sides (this allows you to lift the cake out of the pan).
      3. While dates are cooling, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
      4. In a seperate small bowl toss together chopped apple and 1 tbsp of flour. Set aside.
      5. In a medium bowl whisk together sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating after each. Add dates, applesauce and buttermilk whisking to fully combine.
      6. Whisk in dry ingredients until combined. Add diced apples, shaking off any excess flour as you add them. Stir to evenly distribute.
      7. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with pecan streusel. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
      8. Allow to cool completely prior to lifting out of the pan and cutting into desired portions. Serving with Spiced Rum Caramel is highly recommended.

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      Bacon Jam Mozza Burger

      Bacon Jam Mozza Burger

      by | Jun 10, 2018 | BEEF, GRILLING | 0 comments

      Bacon Jam Mozza Burgers

      Did someone say bacon? Yes indeed, and you won’t want to let Father’s Day go by without firing up the grill for this amazing Bacon Jam Mozza Burger. Thick ground beef chuck patties topped with mozzarella and plenty of sweet and smoky bacon jam. Trust me, dad will be happy!

      So let’s talk meat shall we?  Even though the bacon jam in this recipe makes a statement, it’s the beef that’s gonna make or break your burger experience. We’ve all eaten the pre made frozen hamburger patties and we’ve all made hamburgers from regular ground beef, but let me tell you, there’s a better way to go.  

      Ground chuck my friends is the meat of choice for your beef burger.  Specifically, ground  chuck with a 20% fat ratio. This is a highly recommended ratio because it lends to a nice juicy burger without being overly fatty, which isn’t required with ground chuck because you can cook it to your liking of medium, medium rare…..not the well cooked mandatory standard for frozen patties or burgers made from regular ground beef that need to be cooked to a minimum of 160℉ for food safe reasons. Most butcher shops will carry ground chuck or will be super happy to grind it for you.  Even in my small community, where it is hard to find fresh bean sprouts, I was able to source ground chuck at Sylvan Quality Meats.  A simple call ahead landed me several pounds of ground chuck at an 80/20 ratio, neatly packed in 1 pound pouches.   

      So back to the burger….probably the two most significant differences between burgers made with ground beef and those made with ground chuck is flavour and tenderness.  Ground chuck yields a beefier taste and is tender due to the fat ratio and the fact that you can cook it similar to a steak, medium rare, medium etc.  This ability to serve the burger with a little pink in the centre lends to a more tender burger.   You could say beef steak rules apply in this case.  Plus, there’s no filler, additives, or excess salt, just good quality beef with tasty toppings.  What’s not to love about that? Enjoy!

      Recipe source for Bacon Jam Mozza Burger has been inspired by: Epicurious Whiskey Bacon Jam

      Bacon Jam Mozza Burger
      Print Recipe
        Servings Prep Time
        4 people 30 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        60 minutes 3 minutes
        Servings Prep Time
        4 people 30 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        60 minutes 3 minutes
        Bacon Jam Mozza Burger
        Print Recipe
          Servings Prep Time
          4 people 30 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          60 minutes 3 minutes
          Servings Prep Time
          4 people 30 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          60 minutes 3 minutes
          Ingredients
          Bacon Jam
          Sirloin Burgers
          Servings: people
          Instructions
          Bacon Jam
          1. Chop bacon into 1/4" dice. Heat a large sauce pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add diced bacon and cook uncovered until crisp and rendered, stirring often. Scoop out bacon onto a paper towel lined plate, leaving behind approximately 2 tbsp of bacon fat.
          2. Reduce heat to medium and add chopped onion. Cook uncovered until softened and starting to caramelize, approximately 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients including cooked bacon and heat to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook for approximately 30 minutes until mixture is "jammy"
          3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. If you like a chunkier texture, serve bacon jam as is. If you prefer a jammier texture, add 1/2 the bacon jam to a food processor and pulse several times to break down bacon. Stir together with unprocessed half and serve. Yields an approximate 1 1/4 cups of bacon jam and will keep refrigerated in a sealed container for up to one week. Rewarm gently prior to use once it has been chilled.
          Burgers
          1. Preheat grill to medium high.
          2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Weight ground chuck into 6 ounce portions. Form each portion into 4 1/2"-4 3/4"patties using a press or your hands, making sure not to overwork the meat. Using your thumb, make an indent in the centre of each pattie. Place formed patties onto parchment lined tray and lightly brush both sides with oil. Sprinkle both sides generously with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
          3. Place patties onto grill and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes per side for medium or 140-145℉. Flip patties only once. Remove from heat onto a plate and top with cheese. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for about 3 minutes, giving the meat time to rest and the cheese time to melt.
          4. While burgers are resting, toast buns and warm bacon jam. Assemble burgers with bacon jam and other toppings as desired and serve immediately.

          Grilled Steak Salad

          Grilled Steak Salad

          by | May 30, 2018 | BEEF, SALADS | 2 comments

          Grilled Steak Salad is just that!  Tender, juicy, spiced rubbed steak thinly sliced and served with crisp mixed greens, goat cheese and zesty Catalina dressing.  It’s low in carbs, high in protein and filling enough for lunch or dinner.   

          For this recipe I used sirloin steaks that were about 1” thick.  They’re relatively lean and price friendly compared to their classy cousin the tenderloin. Either steak works here, choose what suits your mood and budget.  Fattier cuts like ribeyes are not the best option even though all that marbling makes for the ultimate juicy grilled steak, it sorta defeats the purpose of eating a salad for the main course.  Kinda like drinking diet pop while eating a hamburger and fries. I’m sure you get my point. 

          Of great importance is to “rest” the meat.  The resting allows all the juices to be reabsorbed back into the muscle of the meat, helping to retain its moisture and therefore tenderness and juiciness.  Cutting a steak or roast without letting it rest will spill out all the meat juices that have accumulated towards the centre of the meat from the heat of cooking.

          Once your steak is cooked and rested to perfection, those slightly charred and thinly sliced pieces are fantastic drizzled with a vibrant Catalina dressing.  Of course homemade is preferred and you can get the recipe here Catalina Dressing  It’s easier than you think and you probably have everything on hand already.  Enjoy!

          Recipe source for Grilled Steak Salad:  Compelled To Cook

          Grilled Steak Salad
          Print Recipe
            Servings Prep Time
            2 people 25 minutes
            Cook Time
            10 minutes
            Servings Prep Time
            2 people 25 minutes
            Cook Time
            10 minutes
            Grilled Steak Salad
            Print Recipe
              Servings Prep Time
              2 people 25 minutes
              Cook Time
              10 minutes
              Servings Prep Time
              2 people 25 minutes
              Cook Time
              10 minutes
              Ingredients
              Servings: people
              Instructions
              1. In a small bowl stir together first 10 ingredients. Sprinkle steaks generously on both sides with spice rub, pressing gently to slightly adhere. Drizzle with oil and rub paste evenly over steak. Cover and set aside at room temperature while grill preheats.
              2. Preheat grill to medium high.
              3. Clean and dry mixed greens ( I like to use a salad spinner). Clean and slice vegetables, subbing in others as you like.
              4. Grill steak to desired doneness. 4-5 minutes per side for a medium 1" steak. It will depend on thickness of steak. Remove steak and cover with foil and allow to rest at least 5 minutes.
              5. While steak rests, arrange mixed greens on plate and top with sliced vegetables and crumbled goat cheese.
              6. Slice steak across the grain and arrange on salad. Drizzle with Catalina dressing and serve immediately.
              Recipe Notes

              I recommend using homemade dressing, you just can't beat it.  Here's a link to my Catalina Dressing.

              Catalina Dressing