Date Nut Mayonnaise Cake

Old fashioned date nut mayonnaise cake with cream cheese frosting is a moist cake with a simple comforting flavor.

Old fashioned cake recipes are some of my favorite cakes to try. When I flip through old cookbooks, I’m surprised at some of the ingredients and flavor combinations.

You know and love the chocolate mayonnaise cake, so today we’re sharing a new mayonnaise cake: Date Nut Mayonnaise Cake with cream cheese frosting. It may sound strange, but it’s totally worth it!

date nut cake on a plate with ice cream

Why you’ll love this cake:

  • Simple vanilla flavor. No extra spices!
  • No eggs or oil. The mayonnaise takes care of both of those keeping the cakes soft and moist.
  • Dates and pecans for flavor and crunch.
  • Melt in your mouth cream cheese frosting that complements the flavor of the cake.

How to Make Date Nut Mayonnaise Cake

This cake will take just over an hour to make. You’ll need a 9×13 baking pan (we love using pans with lids to save on waste). You can use just one bowl to mix the cake batter.

Soak the Dates.

The first step is to soak the dates. Why do you do this? The dates that are dried will absorb moisture, becoming plump and soft. They’ll add amazing flavor or your cake without being hard and stiff.

  • In a large bowl, pour the boiling water over the chopped dates.
  • Add one teaspoon of baking soda, stir and then set aside for 10 minutes.

Make the Cake.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the same bowl.

  • Add the sugar, mayonnaise, vanilla and mix well.
  • Add the last teaspoon of baking soda and flour and mix until combined. Then fold in the pecans.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake tests done.

Make the Frosting.

There are many frostings you could make: mascarpone cream, vanilla buttercream, cinnamon buttercream or even just a simple powdered sugar glaze. But we LOVE cream cheese frosting with this mayonnaise cake.

This frosting works best if the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature. This will help them cream well without being oily.

  • Use a hand mixer (or a stand mixer) to cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  • Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix well.

You can wait until the cake is cool to frost it if you’d like, but we prefer to frost the cake while it is still slightly warm. The frosting will melt in ever so slightly and taste amazing.

date nut cake in a pan
date nut cake in a pan

Date Nut Mayonnaise Cake

4.50 from 6 votes
Old fashioned date nut mayonnaise cake with cream cheese frosting is a moist cake with a simple comforting flavor.
Servings 15
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the cake:

For the frosting:

Instructions
 

  • Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
  • In a large bowl, pour the boiling water over the chopped dates.
  • Add one teaspoon of baking soda, stir and then set aside for 10 minutes.
  • Add the sugar, mayonnaise, vanilla and mix well.
  • Add the last teaspoon of baking soda and flour and mix until combined. Then fold in the pecans.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake tests done.
  • In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  • Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix well.
  • Spread the frosting over the warm cake.
  • Sprinkle with the pecans.
  • Serve with ice cream.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 259IU | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 389
Keyword date cake, easy fruit cake, old fashioned

People Also Asked:

Can you use low fat mayonnaise?

You could, but we don’t recommend it.

Could I use raisins instead of dates?

Yes! Soak them just like the recipe states to do with the dates so they are soft.

Can I add cinnamon?

Yes. This cake would be amazing with cinnamon if you’d like a little extra flavor.

How do you store this cake?

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months.

About Julie Clark

We are Julie, Maddie, and Kinslee – a mother and daughter team sharing with you the best cakes to satisfy any need or sweet craving that you may have. Welcome to our family’s kitchen!

You might also like

Join the Discussion

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments