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5.0 from 51 votes

Matrimonial Cake (Date Squares)

Matrimonial Cake, my Granny's date squares are our best dates recipe - whether from Scotland or Canada the result is so good with dates sandwiched in an oat crust.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 10 people (calories for 2 squares each @70g)
Calories: 275 kcal
Course: Dessert , Snacks
Cuisine: Scottish , Canadian

Ingredients

Date Filling
  • 255 g (9 oz/2 cups) pitted dates either in a block or separate in packets
  • 110 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon soft light brown sugar (optional)
  • 1 lemon juice of lemon only
Oat Shortbread
  • 110 g (4 oz/½ cup) butter (unsalted) softened
  • 100 g (3.5 oz/½ cup) soft light brown sugar
  • 90 g (3 oz/1 cup) porridge oats
  • 120 g (4 oz/1 cup) plain flour all-purpose
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 good pinch salt (fleur de sel)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla powder)

Instructions

For the Date Filling:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a saucepan, cook together all the ingredients except the lemon juice. Cook gently until soft (about 20 minutes). It's ready when the dates soften into a paste. (If you prefer having a perfectly smooth paste, then blitz it for a few seconds in a food processor.)  Set aside to cool then add the lemon juice.
For the Oat Shortbread Crumble:
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/360°F/Gas 4 and grease a baking tin (I use a 27x19cm tin) with either butter or even better, use a non-stick tin.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together either by hand using a wooden spoon or better, in a food mixer/processor.
  3. Add oats, flour, soda and vanilla until well combined.
  4. Press no more than half of the mixture into the greased baking tin - either with your fingers or using a flat spatula to make the bottom layer even and thin. Spread on the date paste using a spatula and smooth it out until even.
  5. Top with the oaty shortbread crumbs and gently pat it on top to keep it in place but not too much - it's better to have a crumbly look to the light topping. 
  6. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the oats are lightly toasted.
  7. Cool on a wire rack then place in the fridge for about 30 minutes, remove from the tin and cut into squares - or bars, if you prefer.

Notes

  • Like macarons, this is even better eaten next day - and the next and next...
  • Storage: up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. Best eaten at room temperature so remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving.
  • Variation: Don't have dates? Replace dates with prunes and add the zest of an unwaxed orange (see more on oranges on my market produce guide). 
  • Measures: Please note that all my recipes are best made using digital kitchen scales in precise metric grams. Both ounces (and cups) are given as an approximate guide.