Date Syrup + Cocoa Cake

Everyone needs a good, classic chocolate cake recipe in their life—especially one with
zero refined sugar.

This everyday classic chocolate cocoa cake is sweetened with date syrup and maple syrup to make it just that. Both syrups add a deep caramel flavor, while a touch of orange zest brightens it up. Because these sweeteners are naturally more sweet, you can actually use less than refined white sugar. And their consistency make for a dense, rich cake (kind of like your favorite brownie).

While you can serve the cake as is, we made it a little more summery, by adding seasonal berries on top of freshly whipped cream.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
½ cup Just Date Syrup
½ cup 100% maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 1/3 cups milk
1/2 cup Just Date Chocolate Chips
Whipped cream, cinnamon and berries (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and butter sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat together butter, date syrup and maple syrup with an electric
mixer combined and creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and orange zest.
Add flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour and
mixing just until combined. Add in our chocolate chips for some extra chocolatey goodness!
Pour batter into cake pan transfer a middle rack in the oven. Bake until springy to the
touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool.
Once completely cool, garnish with whipped cream, ground cinnamon, berries and extra
date syrup, if you wish!

This recipe was crafted for us by Renee Lynn Frojo of @laurelstreetkitchen