The cake that filled my grandmother’s kitchen every autumn was not chocolate or vanilla, it was red date cake, a deep amber sponge that smells like caramelized fruit and tastes like a warm hug. The dates are cooked down with milk until soft, then folded into a whipped whole-egg batter and baked low and slow until the top turns glossy brown and the crumb stays moist for days.
This xiachufang recipe is the version I now bake, and it is a textbook whole-egg sponge: dates, milk, and brown sugar cooked to a paste, cooled, then whipped with eight eggs to a thick ribbon, folded with sifted flour and baking powder, finished with corn oil, and baked at 300°F (150°C) for an hour. It is a big, generous cake, made for tea time and lunch boxes alike.
What Is Red Date Cake (红枣糕)?
Red date cake is a Chinese home-baked sponge made with jujubes, the sweet dried red dates used in soups, teas, and desserts across China. The dates are simmered with milk and brown sugar into a thick paste, which gives the cake its amber color, its naturally sweet flavor, and its famous soft, almost custardy crumb.
Because the sweetness comes from fruit rather than only sugar, red date cake tastes deep and mellow instead of sugary. The recipe uses eight eggs, so it is best baked in a large pan and shared; a slice with tea in the afternoon is the traditional way to enjoy it, and it keeps remarkably well because the date paste holds moisture.
If you enjoy soft Chinese sponges, my fluffy matcha chiffon cake uses the same whipped-egg technique with green tea.
1Fluffy Matcha Chiffon CakeA light, airy Matcha Chiffon Cake recipe with authentic Uji matcha. Step-by-step guide for a cotton-soft texture. Perfect sweetness and tea aroma.Check out this recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- The date paste is cooked, not just mixed. Simmering dates with milk and sugar softens them and concentrates their flavor.
- A whole-egg sponge stays moist. Whipping whole eggs to ribbon stage gives the cake structure without drying it out.
- Brown sugar deepens the color. It pairs with the dates for that amber, caramel tone.
- A low, long bake sets the crumb. Baking at 300°F (150°C) for an hour keeps the cake tender all the way through.
- Cooling upside down prevents sinking. Inverting the pan for a few minutes keeps the sponge tall.
Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 9 x 13 in (or similar) baking pan lined with parchment
- Small saucepan for the date paste
- Fine-mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 6.3 oz (180 g) dried red dates (jujubes), pitted
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
- 8 large eggs
- 1 2/3 cups (200 g) cake flour
- 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
- 1/4 cup (60 g) corn oil
- White sesame seeds, for sprinkling
Ingredient Notes
Red dates. Chinese jujubes are sold dried at Asian grocers; pit them before cooking. Medjool dates are sweeter and softer, so reduce the brown sugar if you substitute.
Cake flour. Low-gluten flour keeps the sponge delicate. All-purpose flour works with a firmer crumb.
Brown sugar. The recipe uses brown sugar for depth; white sugar works but produces a lighter, less caramel-colored cake.
Prep & Mise en Place
Pit the dates and chop them roughly, then cook them with the milk and brown sugar over low heat until soft and jammy, and let the mixture cool completely. Line the baking pan with parchment and preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Sift the cake flour with the baking powder.
Cooking Process
Step 1 — Pit and Chop the Dates
Remove the pits from the red dates and chop or blend them roughly so they break down faster in the pan.
Step 2 — Heat With Milk
Put the dates in a saucepan with the milk and warm gently.
Step 3 — Add the Brown Sugar
Stir in the brown sugar and let it dissolve into the mixture.
Step 4 — Cook to a Paste and Cool
Keep cooking until the dates are soft and the liquid has mostly evaporated, then set the paste aside to cool completely. Adding warm paste to eggs would cook them.
Step 5 — Add the Eggs
Once the paste has cooled, add the eight eggs to the bowl.
Step 6 — Whip to Ribbon Stage
Whip on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until the batter is pale, thick, and falls in a slowly dissolving ribbon.
Step 7 — Fold in the Flour
Sift in the cake flour and baking powder, and fold gently until just combined, keeping as much air as possible.
Step 8 — Add the Corn Oil
Pour in the corn oil and fold until the batter is smooth and even.
Step 9 — Fill the Pan and Add Sesame
Pour the batter into the lined pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with white sesame seeds.
Step 10 — Bake at 300°F for 60 Minutes
Bake with both top and bottom heat at 300°F (150°C) for about 60 minutes, until the top springs back and a skewer comes out clean.
Step 11 — Cool Upside Down and Unmold
Invert the pan for a few minutes to keep the sponge from sinking, then turn it back and unmold the cake onto a rack to cool.
Step 12 — The Author’s Extra Note
The recipe ends with an extra note from the baker: separately, toast salt with Sichuan peppercorns over low heat until fragrant and the salt turns faintly yellow, which is a seasoned-salt preparation she keeps on hand. It is not part of the cake itself, but it is included here because it appears in the original recipe.
Common Mistakes When Making Red Date Cake
1. A dense, flat cake. Cause: under-whipped eggs or deflated batter. Fix: whip to full ribbon stage and fold gently and briefly.
2. A rubbery texture. Cause: over-mixing after the flour goes in. Fix: fold only until the flour disappears.
3. A wet, gummy center. Cause: date paste too wet or the bake cut short. Fix: cook the paste until thick, and bake the full hour at 300°F (150°C).
4. A burnt top. Cause: oven running hot. Fix: use an oven thermometer and tent with foil if the top colors too fast.
5. The cake sinks after baking. Cause: cooling upright or a sudden temperature drop. Fix: invert the pan for a few minutes and cool gradually.
Variations
Other dried fruit. Dried longan or figs can replace part of the dates. For more Chinese bakes, my yellow millet cake and traditional shortbread cookies are lovely companions, and banana chocolate cream cake shows a very different sponge style.
No oven? My perfect rice cooker cake proves you can bake a sponge on the countertop.
Steamed variation. The same batter steams well in small molds; try taro paste star buns for another soft, sweet steamed treat, or milk cream cheese bread for another tender enriched bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Medjool dates? Yes, but reduce the brown sugar, since they are sweeter and softer. Cook them a little less.
Why eight eggs? This is a large-format cake designed for a big pan; the eggs provide the structure that keeps the crumb soft without butter.
How long does it keep? In an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for a week. It also freezes well for up to 2 months.
Can I bake it in a smaller pan? Yes, but the cake will be thicker and need additional baking time; check with a skewer.
Do I need the sesame? No, it is decorative; the cake is fragrant on its own.
How to Serve
Serve slices at room temperature with tea or coffee. It is a classic afternoon cake, and it also works as a breakfast treat with milk; the crumb stays soft for days, which makes it a favorite for lunch boxes.
Storage & Reheat
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze slices for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature. A few seconds in the microwave brings back the softness.
Allergen Notice
Contains egg, gluten (cake flour), and milk. Sesame is used as a topping; omit it for a sesame-free cake.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
About the Author & Recipe Development
I am Lin, and red date cake is the taste of my grandmother’s kitchen in autumn. This recipe from xiachufang is a straightforward whole-egg sponge built on a cooked date paste, and testing it twice reminded me how much difference the paste makes: cook it thick and cool it completely, and the cake bakes up amber, moist, and fragrant every time. The extra seasoned-salt note at the end is the baker’s own, and I have kept it exactly as she wrote it.
Authoritative References
King Arthur Baking on whipping eggs for sponge technique, and USDA Safe Temperature Chart for egg handling.
Red Date Cake (红枣糕): Soft Baked Jujube Sponge
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Baking pan
- Small Saucepan
Ingredients
For the Date Paste
- 6.3 oz dried red dates (jujubes), pitted
- 1 cup milk
- 0.5 cup brown sugar
For the Cake
- 8 large eggs
- 1.7 cups cake flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 0.25 cup corn oil
- 1 sprinkle white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Pit and chop the red dates.
- Warm the dates with the milk in a saucepan.
- Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Cook to a thick paste, then cool completely.
- Add the eggs to the cooled paste.
- Whip 8 to 10 minutes to ribbon stage.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold gently.
- Fold in the corn oil.
- Pour into the lined pan and sprinkle with sesame.
- Bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 60 minutes.
- Invert the pan briefly, then unmold and cool on a rack.
- Extra note from the original recipe: toast salt and Sichuan peppercorns over low heat until fragrant and the salt turns faintly yellow.
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