#cake core

* 8 ounces medjool dates, pits removed

* 2/3 cup (112 mL) boiling water

* 1 cup (240 mL) boiling dairy-free milk

* 1 tsp baking soda

* 1/3 cup (113 g) vegan butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

* 1/4 cup (57 g) neutral oil

* 1 cup (240 g) dairy free yogurt, room temperature

* 2/3 cup (150 g) light brown sugar

* 1 cup (100 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder

* 2 tsp baking powder

* 1/4 tsp sea salt

* 3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour

Toffee Sauce:

* 1/2 cup (120 mL) creamy coconut milk or vegan heavy cream or cashew cream

* 1/4 cup (57 g) vegan butter, room temperature

* 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar

* 1/4 cup (60 mL) maple syrup

Toffee Frosting:

* 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature

* 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan butter, room temperature

* 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar

* 2 tsp vanilla extract

* 1/4 tsp sea salt

* 1/4 cup toffee sauce (from above recipe)

Instructions

* Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F, and line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.

* Make the date puree: In a large bowl, add the dates and boiling water, dairy-free milk, and baking soda. Allow the dates to soak in the liquid for 10 minutes. Then pour both the dates AND liquid into a food processor, and blend until you reach a puree. Set aside.

* Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the vegan butter, oil, dairy free yogurt, and light brown sugar. Then add in the cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt, and whisk until all ingredients are combined. Add in the flour and pour in the date puree mixture, then whisk just until all flour is combined into the chocolate cake batter.

* Bake: Pour chocolate cake batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to cool completely on a cooling rack.

* While the cake is baking: Make the toffee sauce. In a medium sauce pan, add in all toffee sauce ingredients, and bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat, whisking while you do this so all ingredients melt together. Once boiling, let boil for 1 minute then remove from heat and cool until your cake is ready to cool.

* When the cake and toffee sauce are both cool: Poke the cake with many holes using a toothpick or a fork on top. Then pour 1/4 cup – 1/3 cup of the toffee sauce over the cake and spread evenly over the holes.

* Make the frosting: While the cake is soaking in the toffee sauce, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the vegan cream cheese and vegan butter until consistent and combined. Then add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing in between each cup to integrate the powdered sugar. Then add in the vanilla extract, sea salt, and toffee sauce (as long as the sauce is completely COOL, there should be NO warmth to the sauce whatsoever!!), and mix until combined.

When the cake and toffee sauce are both cool: Poke the cake with many holes using a toothpick or a fork on top. Then pour 1/4 cup – 1/3 cup of the toffee sauce over the cake and spread evenly over the holes.

Make the frosting: While the cake is soaking in the toffee sauce, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the vegan cream cheese and vegan butter until consistent and combined. Then add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing in between each cup to integrate the powdered sugar. Then add in the vanilla extract, sea salt, and toffee sauce (as long as the sauce is completely COOL, there should be NO warmth to the sauce whatsoever!!), and mix until combined.

* Frost the cake: Scoop the frosting on top of the cooled cake, and spread to the edges. Top with more toffee sauce, slice and serve!

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)

2 tablespoons canola oil* (30mL)

2 large eggs, room temperature

¼ cup sour cream, room temperature (60g)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk**, room temperature (120mL)

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (219g)

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

6 Oreo or chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped in bite size pieces (~85g)

8 whole Oreo or chocolate sandwich cookies (110g)

VANILLA CREAM ICING GLAZE

2 cups confectioners' sugar (240g)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (56g)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons whipping cream***(30mL)

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, cream together the butter (¾ cup/170g) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) for 30-60 seconds. Then add the granulated sugar (¾ cup/150g) and start on low, gradually increasing to medium-high (speed 6 on KitchenAid mixer) once the butter and sugar combine. Beat until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl.

With the mixer on low (stir or speed 2), slowly drizzle in the oil (2 tablespoons/30mL). Once combined increase the speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Then scrape up and down the bowl.

Add the eggs (2 large) one at a time, mixing on medium-high until incorporated, about 15-30 seconds per egg. Stop and scrape the bowl.

Then add the sour cream (¼ cup/60g) and vanilla (2 teaspoons) and mix on medium until fully combined, about 30 seconds. The mixture may look a little curdled at this point, but don't let it bother you. Scrape the bowl.

Sprinkle the baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons) over the wet ingredients, then add the flour (1 ¾ cups/219g) and mix on the lowest setting. As the flour incorporates, slowly pour in the buttermilk (½ cup/120mL) mixing on low until just combined. Then add in the 6 chopped cookies and use a spatula to finish mixing.

Spread about half batter over the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Then lay the 8 whole cookies over the cake batter. Top with the remaining batter and use a knife or off-set spatula to smooth the batter over the cookies. Lightly drop the pan on the counter a time or two to remove any air bubbles.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then use the parchment paper to remove the cake from the pan and add the vanilla cream icing.

For the vanilla cream icing: combine the confectioners' sugar (2 cups/240g) with the melted butter (4 tablespoons/56g), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and whipping cream (2 tablespoons) in a medium bowl with a spoon. Stir in the until it reaches a thick icing glaze.

Spread the icing over the top of the cake and allow to set. If desired, crumble another cookie or two and sprinkle over the icing before it sets.

NOTES

*Canola oil can be substituted with vegetable oil.

**Buttermilk can be substituted with whole milk or kefir. I find store bought buttermilk works best, pull it out with the butter and eggs so it is room temperature. In a pinch you can add 2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar to the measuring cup and then fill with whole milk to make ½ cup and stir.

***Whipping cream can be substituted with half and half or whole milk

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