A rich, sticky date and apple cake with no added sugar. Ideal for a mid-morning snack or a healthier dessert option.
Eat less sugar
I’ve recently been exploring sugar-free baking. There’s an idea that many cake recipes can lose up to a third of their sugar without compromising texture — only sweetness is reduced. I often use less sugar than recipes suggest, and this date and apple cake contains no added sugar yet tastes naturally sweet thanks to the fruit.
I don’t crave sweets, but my children are developing sweeter palates, so I’m mindful about reducing their sugar intake. When I was offered a copy of Simply Sugar Free by Susanna Booth to review, I jumped at the chance because the book focuses on using fruit and other alternatives to cut back on refined sugar.
What’s this sticky date and apple cake like?
This cake is inspired by an Omani recipe and is sweetened entirely with apples and dates. As the fruit cooks it gives off a rich, treacly aroma and creates a very moist, soft cake. Even without added sugar, the finished cake is satisfyingly sweet and rich.
But what did the children think?
They tried the cake but were a little hesitant about the apple slices on top, so next time I’ll skip that decoration. The crumb itself went down well with the adults.
What ingredients do you need for sticky date and apple cake?
You’ll need the following:
- Sweet apples – these and the dates supply the cake’s sweetness, so avoid using sharp cooking apples.
- Lemon juice – optional, used to stop the apple slices for decoration from browning.
- Pitted dried dates
- Water
- Unsalted butter
- Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- Eggs (large)
- Plain whole wheat flour
- Baking powder
- Vanilla extract
What substitutions can you make?
If you can’t find every ingredient, there are easy swaps. Pears would work in place of apples. If you don’t have wholemeal plain flour, use plain white flour. You can also use self-raising flour—just reduce or omit the baking powder and adjust as needed.
How do you make this sugar free apple and date cake?
The method is straightforward but involves a couple of simple stages. A full recipe card appears below, but the process in brief is:
- Set aside one apple for decoration. Peel, core and dice the remaining apple. Cook the diced apple with the dates and water until soft (about 3 minutes).
- Remove from heat, stir in the butter until melted, then add the bicarbonate of soda — it will foam, which is normal.
- Blend the date mixture with the remaining ingredients (eggs, flour, baking powder, vanilla) until smooth using a food processor or blender.
- Pour the batter into a greased and lined 20cm square tin. Arrange the reserved apple slices on top if you wish.
- Bake at 200C (180C fan) for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
How long will this cake stay fresh for?
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the cake will keep well for at least three days.
About Simply Sugar Free
Simply Sugar Free (also published as Sensationally Sugar Free) contains recipes for cakes, desserts, ice creams, snacks and sauces that use alternatives to refined sugar. Many recipes rely on fruit and vegetables—especially dried fruit—to provide sweetness along with fibre, vitamins and minerals, which makes them a healthier option overall.
The book also includes recipes using stevia, a plant-derived sweetener much stronger than sucrose. Stevia can be useful in small amounts but may taste bitter if overused, so I tend to favour recipes sweetened with fruit. Fortunately, the book offers plenty of those options.
More recipes in Simply Sugar Free
Another recipe I tried from the book was peanut snack bars sweetened with dried figs. They make a great post-run snack because they’re packed with dried fruit and plant protein from nuts and seeds. Even if you don’t run, they’re a tasty, nutty snack—served as bars or rolled into balls.
So what next?
So far, the recipes have been more popular with me than with my children, but I’m keen to try several more from the book. Both children love dried apricots, so I plan to make the apricot and lemon cake next. I’m also interested in oatmeal raisin cookies, raw gingerbread and apple freezer flapjacks—I’ll share results if any of those become firm favourites.
Some more sugar free bakes
If you enjoyed this sticky date and apple cake and want more no-added-sugar bakes, consider the other recipes featured on this site that use fruit to add natural sweetness.
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Date and Banana Oaty Bars with No Added Sugar
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Sweet Potato Brownies by Deliciously Ella
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Sweet Potato Cookies with Chocolate Chips
-
Coconut Snack Balls with Apricot and Sultanas
You might also enjoy a fruity carob and chocolate cake on this site. It isn’t sugar-free but includes plenty of apple.
Recipe
Sugar Free Sticky Date and Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 350 g sweet apples about 2–3
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
- 250 g pitted dried dates
- 250 ml water
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 2 eggs
- 150 g plain whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan).
- Grease a 20cm square tin and line the base with baking paper.
- Core the apples. Cut one apple (about 150g) into slices, toss with lemon juice and set aside for decoration.
- Chop the remaining apple, place it in a saucepan with the dates and water and boil until the apple is soft (about 3 minutes).
- Remove from the heat, stir in the butter until melted, then add the bicarbonate of soda — it will foam, which is normal.
- Combine the eggs, flour, baking powder and vanilla in a food processor or blender, add the date mixture and blend until smooth and combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and arrange the apple slices on top if using.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 17 g
Protein: 1 g
Fat: 4 g
Sugar: 10 g
Pin for Later
Places I’m sharing this sticky date and apple cake
Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by me, Corina at Searching for Spice.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Simply Sugar Free. All opinions expressed here are my own.