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Square slice of Queen Elizabeth cake on a white plate showing golden broiled coconut topping and moist date crumb

Sticky Date Queen Elizabeth Cake with Broiled Coconut

A dense date-and-walnut cake baked at 350 F / 175 C, then finished with a broiled coconut and brown sugar topping.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 43 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 23 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 386
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Date Cake
  • 170 g dates, pitted and chopped / 1 cup
  • 240 ml boiling water / 1 cup
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 57 g unsalted butter, softened / 1/4 cup
  • 200 g granulated sugar / 1 cup
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 190 g all-purpose flour / 1 1/2 cups
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 60 g walnuts, chopped / 1/2 cup; optional, but adds crunch
Broiled Coconut Topping
  • 57 g unsalted butter / 1/4 cup
  • 100 g brown sugar, packed / 1/2 cup
  • 45 ml heavy cream / 3 tbsp; whole milk works as a substitute
  • 80 g shredded coconut / 1 cup; sweetened or unsweetened

Method
 

Make the Date Cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Grease a 23 cm / 9-inch square baking pan.
  2. Place the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl, sprinkle with baking soda, and pour the boiling water over. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes until softened and almost mushy.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric hand mixer for about 2 minutes until light. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the date mixture (including the soaking liquid), starting and ending with flour. Fold in the walnuts with a rubber spatula.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it even. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Broil the Coconut Topping
  1. While the cake bakes, combine the topping butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream in a small 1-quart / 1 L saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes until the butter melts and sugar dissolves.
  2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the shredded coconut until evenly coated.
  3. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, switch the oven to broil and move the rack to the top third. Spread the coconut topping evenly over the hot cake.
  4. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, watching the whole time, until the topping is bubbly and golden brown in spots. Remove immediately.
  5. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before cutting into 9 squares.

Notes

  • Soften dates in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes until almost mushy
  • Spread topping onto the cake straight from the oven, then broil right away
  • Watch the broiler the whole time, coconut can burn in under a minute
  • Cool the finished cake at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares