BEVERLY CORNELIUS | LODI, CALIFORNIA

This appealing dessert is a snack cake—it isn't a true torte, as it includes flour. But all the elements of a fancy torte are here—the nuts, the cocoa, the butter, and the chocolate. It's just that the nuts and chocolate chips are sprinkled on top of the cake right before it goes into the oven. And the chopped dates give this cake its depth of flavor and its moistness. Says Beverly about the origins of this recipe: "I was a teacher in Bellflower, California, in the mid '50s. Our custodian, Clara, made so many special treats for us. One that I've continued to make for more than 50 years is her Chocolate Torte. It was the cake my son always requested for a birthday cake. And it is so easy to make and yummy to eat. "

SERVES 16

1¼ cup dates, chopped
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13-by 9-inch baking pan. Stir the dates, baking soda, and boiling water together in a medium bowl. Let stand until room temperature, about 20 minutes. Whisk the flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter, shortening, sugar, and vanilla together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture and date mixture alternately in two batches, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the walnuts and chocolate chips evenly over the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in the pan, at least 1 hour. Serve. (The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days.)

Notes from the Test Kitchen
This hearty snack cake is decadently moist thanks to plumped dates and plenty of butter and shortening. The batter is incredibly easy to make and, thanks to a sprinkling of chocolate chips and walnuts, the final cake has a gooey topping that requires almost no work. When you are testing for doneness, be sure to avoid the chocolate chips or else you may think the cake is underdone.

Copyright © 2007 by Cooks Country Magazine. All rights reserved.